^KV^'  i>r  rni:^ct. 


BV  638  .G5  1919 
Gill,  Charles  Otis. 
Six  thousand  country 
churches 


SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

NEW   YORK    ■    BOSTON    •    CHICAGO    •   DALLAS 
ATLANTA    •    SAN   FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  Limited 

LONDON    •  BOMBAY    •  CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OF  CANADA,  Ltd. 

TORONTO 


The  Country  Churches^,^,  ,  ,.^,^,,,^,«p.,,, 
OF  Ohio        j€---r    ;'^wp- 


SIX  THOUSAND   COUNTRY 
CHURCHES 


BY 


vY 


CHARLES  OTIS  GE^L 

AND 
GIFFORD  'f  INCHOT 

AUTHORS  OF  "  THE  COUNTRY  CHURCH  " 


PUBLISHED  UNDER  THE  AUTHORITY  OF  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 
OF  THE  CHURCHES  OF  CHRIST  IN  AMERICA 


THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1919 

All  'igli/s  reserved 


Copyright,  1919 
By  the  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.    Published  November,  igig 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

PART  I 

CONDITIONS  AND  REMEDIES 

Page 

Introduction xiii 

Chapter 

I.  How  THE  Facts  were  Gathered 3 

II.  The  Rural  Church  Maps  of  Ohio 5 

III.  Summary  of  Results 8 

Oversupply  of  churches — The  churches  small  and  weak — Attendance 
— ^An  absentee  ministry — Divided  effort  of  the  ministry — Short  term 
of  minister's  service — Defective  overhead  organization — Ministers' 
salaries — Educational  equipment  of  the  minister. 

IV.  Where  Church  Efficiency  is  Lowest 12 

V.  The  Church  in  the  Eighteen  Counties ig 

VT.  A  Policy  and  Program 4° 

I.  A   better   program — 2.  A  better   ministry — 3.  Better   support — 

4.  Better  acquaintance — 5.  Re-arrangement  of  circuits — 6.  More  resi- 
dent ministers — 7.  Interchurch  cooperation — 8.  Community  churches 
— 9.  Non-sectarian  support. 

VII.  Federated  Churches 59 

I.  Greene    Township — 2.  Aurora — 3.  Garrettsville — 4.  Northfield — 

5.  Federated  churches  in  other  states. 

VIII.  Other  Progressive  Churches ^ 75 

I.  A  church  federation — 2.  Cooperation  with  other  social  forces — 
3.  Community  service  and  Christian  unity — 4.  Christian  unity  by 
necessity — 5.  The  church  as  a  force  for  righteousness — (a)  Old  Fort — 
(b)  Lakeville. 

IX.  Agricultural  Cooperation 88 

vii 


VIU  TABLE    f)F    CONTENTS 


PART  II 


TABULAR  SUMMARIES  AND  MAPS 
Chapter  Pack 

I.  Geographical  Distribution  of  the  Denominations 93 

II.  Tabular  Summaries  for  the  State no 

Table  I. — Population,  average  number  of  Persons  and  Churches, 
and  average  number  of  Persons  to  a  Church,  by  Town- 
ships     Ill 

Table     II. — Churches  classified  according  to  the  number  of  their 

members 112 

Table  III. — Amount  of  Ministerial  Service  by  Townships,  Villages, 

and  Churches 114 

Table    IV. — Number  of  Churches  in  Villages  and  in  the  Open  Country  115 
Table      \'. — Resident  Ministers  in  Strictly  Rural  Townships  in  the 

Open  Country  and  in  Villages 118 

Table    VI. — Terms   of   Service   of   Methodist    Episcopal    Country 

Ministers,  191 7 119 

Table  VII. — Average  number  of  Persons  to  a  Church  in  11 70  Rural 

Townships 121 

Table  \TII. — Average  number  of  Persons  to  a  Church  in  Rural  Town- 
ships, Surburban  Townships,  and  Cities 122 

Table    IX. — Salaries  of  Methodist  Episcopal  Country  Ministers,  1917  123 
Table      X. — Salaries    of    Country    Ministers,    United    Brethren    in 

Christ,  191 7 123 

III.  Tabular  Summaries  by  Counties 124 

PART  III 
THE  COUNTY  MAPS 

Explanatory  Note 145 

Country  Church  Maps  of  the  Eighty-Eight  Counties  of  Ohio 147 

APPENDIX 

Action  of  the  Committee  on  Interchurch  Cooperation  of  the  Ohio  Rural 

Life  .Vssociation 235 


LIST  OF  MAPS 

The  Country  Churches  of  Ohio Frontispiece 

Page 

Map  A.  Where  Conditions  Demand  IVIissionary  Aid 26 

Map    I.  High  Death  Rates  from  Tuberculosis 27 

Map    2.  High  Rates  of  Illegitimacy 28 

Map    3.  Where  Illiteracy  Abounds 29 

Map    4.  Distribution  of  Foreign  Born  Whites 30 

Map    5.  Excessive  Over-Churching 31 

Map    6.  Churches  many  but  Ministers  Few 32 

Map    7.  Number  of  Persons  to  a  Resident  Minister t^t, 

Map    8.  Value  of  Farm  Property  in  the  Year  iqto 34 

Map    9.  Increase  in  Value  of  Farm  Property 35 

Map  10.  Rich  Land  and  Poor  Land 36 

Map  II.  Showing  that  in  317  or  27  per  cent  of  the  Strictly  Rural  Townships  no 

Church  has  a  Resident  Minister 49 

Map  12.  Farms  Operated  by  Tenants 84 

Map  13.  Farms  Operated  by  Tenants 85 

Map  14.  Methodist  Episcopal 96 

Map  15.  United  Brethren  in  Christ 97 

Map  16.  Presbyterian 98 

Map  17.  Baptist 99 

Map  18.  Disciples  of  Christ 100 

Map  19.  Lutheran loi 

Map  20.  Catholic 102 

Map  21.  Christian 103 

Map  22.  Methodist  Protestant 104 

Map  23.  Reformed 105 

Map  24.  Congregational 106 

Map  25.  Evangelical  Association 107 

Map  26.  Villages  and  Cities 117 

County  Maps: 

Adams 147 

Allen 148 


X  LIST   OF  MAPS 

Counly  Mai^s — roiitiniicd:  Pack 

Ashland 149 

Ashtabula 1 50 

Athens 151 

Auglaize 152 

Belmont 1 53 

Brown 1 54 

Butler 155 

Carroll 156 

Champaign 157 

Clark 158 

Clermont 1 59 

Clinton 160 

Columbiana 161 

Coshocton 162 

Crawford 163 

Cuyahoga 164 

Darke 165 

Defiance 166 

Delaware 167 

Erie 168 

Fairfield 169 

Fayette 170 

Franklin 171 

Fulton 172 

Gallia 173 

Geauga 174 

Greene 175 

Guernsey 176 

Hamilton 177 

Hancock 178 

Hardin 179 

Harrison 180 

Henry 181 

Highland 182 

Hocking 183 

Holmes 184 

Huron 185 


LIST   OF  MAPS  XI 

County  Maps — continued:  Page 

Jackson i86 

Jefferson 187 

Knox 188 

Lake 189 

Lawrence 19° 

Licking 191 

Logan • 192 

Lorain i93 

Lucas 194 

Madison i95 

Mahoning 196 

Marion i97 

Medina 198 

Meigs 199 

Mercer 200 

Miami 201 

Monroe 202 

Montgomery 203 

Morgan 204 

Morrow 205 

Muskingum 206 

Noble ^ 207 

Ottawa 208 

Paulding : 209 

Perry 210 

Pickaway 211 

Pike 212 

Portage 213 

Preble 214 

Putnam 215 

Richland 216 

Ross 217 

Sandusky 218 

Scioto 2 ig 

Seneca 220 

Shelby 221 

Stark 222 


XU  LlSr   OF   MAPS 

County  Maps — ron/iniicd:  Page 

Summit ,  .  223 

Trumbull 224 

Tuscarawas 225 

Union ,  226 

\'an  Wert 227 

\'inton ^ 228 

Warren 229 

Washington 230 

Wayne 231 

Williams 232 

Wood 233 

Wyandot 234 


INTRODUCTION 

In  1913  Mr.  Gill  and  I  published,  under  the  authority  of  the  Federal 
Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America,  the  results  of  an  inquiry 
into  the  condition  of  the  country  church  in  two  typical  counties- 
Windsor  County,  Vermont,  and  Tompkins  County,  New  York.  The  dis- 
closure of  the  conditions  in  these  two  counties  and  the  conclusions  to 
which  they  pointed  led  to  the  creation  of  the  Commission  on  Church  and 
Country  Life  of  the  Federal  Council.  Under  the  direction  of  the  Com- 
mission, it  was  resolved  to  extend  the  investigation  of  the  country  church 
to  an  entire  State.  For  the  reasons  given  hereafter,  the  choice  fell  upon 
Ohio. 

For  the  plan  whose  execution  and  results  are  here  set  forth,  Mr.  Gill 
and  I  are  jointly  responsible.  It  was  submitted  to,  and  revised  and 
approved  by,  the  Commission  on  Church  and  Country  Life,  in  whose 
name  and  under  whose  direct  supervision  it  was  carried  out.  The  field 
work  was  done  entirely  by  Mr.  Gill  or  under  his  immediate  direction  as 
Secretary  of  the  Commission,  and  he  also  worked  up  in  the  office  the  re- 
sult of  his  work  in  the  field.  As  in  the  case  of  "The  Country  Church,"  I 
am  responsible  for  the  final  revision  of  the  manuscript  for  the  press.  It 
is  now  published  with  the  approval  of  the  Commission  on  Church  and 
Country  Life,  and  as  a  report  of  its  work. 

In  the  introduction  to  "The  Country  Church,"  I  said  and  I  desire  to 
repeat, — "Mr.  Gill's  peculiar  fitness  for  the  work  of  this  investigation 
arises  in  part  from  his  long  and  intimate  personal  acquaintance  with  the 
problem  of  country  life.  For  fifteen  years  he  has  been  a  country  minister. 
One  of  his  tasks  was  to  establish  a  church  in  a  country  community  in 
Vermont  which  had  been  without  one  for  more  than  twenty  years.  When 
IMr.  Gill  came  to  it,  the  moral  and  social  laxity  of  the  whole  community 


XIV  INTRODUCTION 

was  flagrant.  Disbelief  in  the  existence  of  goodness  appeared  to  be 
common,  public  disapproval  of  indecency  was  timid  or  lacking,  and  re- 
ligion was  in  general  disrepute.  Not  only  was  there  no  day  of  worship, 
but  also  no  day  of  rest.  Life  was  mean,  hard,  small,  selfish,  and  covetous. 
Land  belonging  to  the  town  was  openly  pillaged  by  the  pubUc  officers 
who  held  it  in  trust;  real  estate  values  were  low;  and  among  the  respecta- 
ble families  there  was  a  general  desire  to  sell  their  property  and  move 
away. 

Then  a  church  was  organized.  The  change  which  followed  was  swift, 
striking,  thorough,  and  enduring.  The  public  property  of  the  town,  once 
a  source  of  graft  and  demoraUzation,  became  a  public  asset.  The  value  of 
real  estate  increased  beyond  all  proportion  to  the  general  rise  of  land 
values  elsewhere.  In  the  decade  and  a  half  which  has  elapsed  since  the 
church  began  its  work,  boys  and  girls  of  a  new  type  have  been  brought 
up.  The  reputation  of  the  village  has  been  changed  from  bad  to  good, 
pubHc  order  has  greatly  improved,  and  the  growth  of  the  place  as  a  sum- 
mer resort  has  begun.  It  is  fair  to  say  that  the  establishment  of  the 
church  under  Mr.  Gill  began  a  new  era  in  the  history  of  the  town." 

It  was  with  this  record  of  practical  success  in  the  country  church, 
supplemented  by  the  very  unusual  experience  as  an  investigator  which  he 
acquired  in  collecting  and  analyzing  the  material  for  "The  Country 
Church,"  that  Mr.  Gill  approached  the  task  whose  results  are  here  set 
down.  The  task  of  ascertaining  with  accuracy  the  conditions  of  the 
country  church  in  other  portions  of  the  United  States  still  remains.  The 
remedies  are  yet  to  be  applied. 

GlFFORD   PiNCHOT. 
Milford,  Penna. 
Aug.  26,  iQiS. 


SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 
PART  I 

CONDITIONS    AND   REMEDIES 


SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

CHAPTER   I 

HOW  THE   FACTS  WERE   GATHERED 

The  Commission  on  Church  and  Country  Life  of  the  Federal  Council 
of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  conducted  the  work  whose  results 
are  summarized  in  this  book.  Several  thousand  persons  assisted  in  col- 
lecting the  data  here  given.  Lists  of  churches  were  obtained  from  corre- 
spondents in  every  township  in  Ohio,  and  township  maps  were  sent  to 
them  for  marking  the  location  of  the  churches.  Ministers,  clerks,  and 
other  officers  of  churches,  district  superintendents,  and  other  denomina- 
tional leaders  gave  indispensable  information. 

The  very  important  material  gathered  by  the  Ohio  Rural  Life  Survey, 
including  country  church  maps  of  twelve  counties  and  many  data  for 
seventeen  other  counties,  was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Commission. 

Invaluable  assistance  has  been  rendered  by  State,  County,  and  Town- 
ship Sunday  School  Associations.  In  about  half  of  the  townships,  officers 
of  the  township  associations  suppHed  needed  information.  Miss  Clara  E. 
Clemmer,  Secretary  of  the  County  Association,  gathered  nearly  all  the 
data  for  Preble  County.  The  Rev.  C.  A.  Spriggs,  a  Missionary  of  the 
American  Sunday  School  Union,  furnished  most  of  the  facts  used  in  mak- 
ing the  map  of  Pike  County. 

In  a  few  counties,  superintendents  of  public  schools  either  gave  desired 
information  themselves,  or  supplied  the  names  of  others  who  did,  and  in 
some  cases  the  agricultural  agents  lent  a  hand. 

County  atlases  were  consulted,  and  verifications  and  corrections  were 
obtained  from  many  sources.     The  topographical  maps  issued  by  the 

3 


4  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

United  States  Geological  Survey  gave  the  locations  of  certain  churches. 
The  Year  Books  of  the  various  denominational  bodies  were  in  constant 
use  for  verification  and  reference,  as  were  the  United  States  Census,  the 
Ohio  Statistical  Reports,  and  other  Government  documents. 

In  the  different  sections  of  Ohio  Mr.  Gill  made  extensive  investigations 
on  the  ground,  while  large  numbers  of  country  ministers  and  church 
members  were  consulted  personally.  Specific  information  has  thus  been 
collected  in  nearly  every  township,  while  at  country  church  institutes  and 
conferences  in  various  parts  of  the  State,  many  facts  were  secured  from 
the  discussions  on  rural  church  conditions.  Not  only  has  information, 
therefore,  been  received  from  very  many  people  intimately  associated 
with  the  churches  of  rural  Ohio,  but  also,  and  very  widely,  from  personal 
observation  on  the  field  itself. 

In  spite  of  all  the  care  that  could  be  taken,  after  the  work  on  the  town- 
ship maps  was  -thought  to  be  finished,  a  few  other  churches  were  dis- 
covered. If,  in  the  future,  still  other  churches  should  be  found  which  are 
not  on  the  maps,  the  number  of  them  will  be  insignificant.  Their  dis- 
covery will  doubtless  in  no  wise  affect  the  conclusions  which  have  been 
drawn  as  to  the  country  church  situation  in  Ohio,  nor  their  omission  im- 
pair the  general  usefulness  of  the  maps. 

In  the  constructive  work  of  the  Commission  and  of  the  Ohio  Rural  Life 
Association  for  rural  church  betterment,  as  well  as  in  the  survey,  the  Ohio 
State  University,  under  Dr.  Thompson,  has  always  given  free  and 
valuable  cooperation. 

For  all  this  kind  assistance  the  Commission  and  the  Association  are 
deeply  grateful,  and  here  express  their  hearty  thanks. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  RURAL  CHURCH  MAPS  OF  OHIO 

In  Part  III  of  this  volume  are  88  country  church  maps,  one  for  each 
county  in  the  State  of  Ohio.  The  making  of  these  maps  was  part  of  a 
program  adopted  in  19 14  by  the  Commission  on  Church  and  Country 
Life  of  the  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of  Christ  in  America.  It 
seemed  to  the  Commission  that  an  attempt  ought  to  be  made  to  test  the 
possibiHties  of  rural  church  improvement  through  interdenominational 
cooperation  in  some  one  State.  Ohio  was  chosen  because  of  its  geograph- 
ical location,  because  of  the  variety  of  its  church  conditions,  and  because 
in  a  number  of  its  counties  a  country  church  survey  had  already  been 
made.  This  survey  had  indicated  a  widespread  need  for  the  readjust- 
ment of  church  life  to  community  welfare  in  rural  Ohio. 

It  was  therefore  determined,  if  possible,  to  complete  a  series  of  maps  for 
the  entire  State  which  would  summarize  the  facts.  In  dealing  with  so 
many  churches  in  so  large  an  area,  it  was  of  course  feasible  to  collect  only  a 
very  small  niunber  of  facts  concerning  each  church.  Accordingly  the 
facts  to  be  gathered  were  limited  to  the  location  of  every  rural  church,  its 
denomination,  its  present  membership,  whether  it  is  gaining  or  losing  in 
membership,  whether  it  ordinarily  has  a  resident  pastor,  and  if  not,  what 
part  of  ^minister's  service  it  receives. 

The  collection  of  such  facts  was  necessary,  first,  to  impress  upon  the 
church  ofi&cials  and  others  the  actual  urgency  of  the  situation,  and  second, 
to  provide  a  basis  for  a  workable  policy  of  interchurch  cooperation  and 
reciprocity  in  influencing  or  directing  the  redistribution  of  ministers  and 
churches. 

While  the  making  of  the  church  maps  appeared  to  be  the  least  amount 

5 


6  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

of  preliminary  work  that  would  o[)en  the  way  for  effective  action,  it  was 
evident  that  nothing  adequate  could  be  done  for  rural  church  betterment 
without  interdenominational,  or  undenominational,  organization.  There- 
fore, when  the  branch  office  of  the  Commission  on  Church  and  Country 
Life  was  opened  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  August,  19 14,  at  the  same  time  the 
Ohio  Rural  Life  Association  was  formed  to  cooperate  with  the  Commis- 
sion in  its  work  in  the  State.  Soon  afterward  a  Committee  on  Inter- 
church  Cooperation,  consisting  of  executives  in  charge  of  the  country 
churches  of  eleven  denominations,  was  organized.  The  principles  which 
it  adopted  to  govern  its  action  mark  a  forward  step  of  real  importance. 
(See  page  235.) 

The  chief  burden  of  making  the  church  maps  has  rested  upon  the  Com- 
mission on  Church  and  Country  Life.  Its  paid  executive  and  office  force 
have  done  the  main  part  of  the  work,  but  valuable  assistance  has  been 
rendered  by  the  Ohio  Rural  Life  Association.  Much  of  the  work  was  done 
in  its  name. 

Incidentally,  the  cooperative  work  of  these  bodies  has  by  no  means 
been  confined  to  the  making  of  surveys.  Country  Life  Institutes  have 
been  held,  and  an  educational  propaganda  in  the  interest  of  the  rural 
church  has  been  continuously  carried  on,  with  the  result  that  in  Ohio 
more  than  in  any  other  State  has  the  coimtry  church  gained  ground  in  its 
command  of  public  interest.  As  a  subject  for  addresses  and  discussion 
the  country  church  has  a  place  in  a  large  number  of  farmers'  institutes, 
and  in  nearly  all  Sunday  school  conventions,  while  during  Farmers'  Week 
at  the  State  Agricultural  College,  conferences  on  no  other  subject  have 
attracted  more  people  or  provoked  more  animated  discussion. 

Inasmuch  as  the  collecting  of  the  data  extended  over  a  period  of  more 
than  three  years,  the  maps  do  not  all  represent  the  exact  situation  at 
the  same  moment.  While  they  were  being  made  some  of  the  churches 
were  being  redistributed  in  different  circuits,  and  membership  rolls  were 
increasing  or  decreasing.  Since  the  map  for  their  county  was  completed 
some  churches  have  federated,  or  their  members  have  all  united  in  a 


THE  RURAL  CHURCH  MAPS  OF  OHIO  7 

denominational  union  church.  But  while  the  maps  do  not  constitute  a 
snap  shot  of  the  entire  State,  the  changes  which  have  taken  place  are  too 
few  in  any  way  to  invalidate  the  conclusions  drawn.  The  total  situation 
is  indicated  with  sufficient  correctness. 

These  maps  should  supply  the  indispensable  basis  for  the  readjustment 
that  is  obviously  required.  We  hope  that  the  publishing  of  them  will  not 
only  register  a  stage  of  progress  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  but  tljat  in  other 
States  also  similar  work  will  be  undertaken,  and  that  the  forward  move- 
ment in  rural  church  life  will  be  strengthened  and  accelerated  throughout 
the  nation. 


CHAPTER  III 

SUMMARY   OF   RESULTS 

f 

Ohio  contains  in  its  area  of  41,060  square  miles,  some  1,388  townships. 
If  we  exclude  the  townships  in  which  the  population  is  urban,  those  in 
which  there  are  villages  of  more  than  2,500  inhabitants  (the  number  set 
by  the  United  States  Census  as  separating  the  country  from  the  town), 
those  which  contain  parts  of,  or  border  on,  large  town  or  city  parishes, 
there  remain  1,170  townships  which  may  be  classed  as  strictly  rural. 
These  rural  townships  have  in  all  6,060  churches  and  nearly  1,700,000 
persons.  Each  of  them  has  on  an  average  a  population  of  1,448  persons, 
with  five  churches,  or  one  church  to  every  280  persons.  If  we  include 
with  the  strictly  rural  townships  the  rural  sections  of  townships  not  ex- 
clusively rural,  there  are  in  Ohio  no  less  than  6,642  country  churches. 

As  these  facts  would  indicate,  the  country  churches  of  Ohio  for  the 
most  part  are  small  and  weak.  According  to  data  gathered  by  the  earlier 
survey  made  under  the  direction  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Home 
Missions,  the  churches  whose  membership  is  less  than  100  as  a  rule  do  not 
prosper,  and  the  smaller  the  membership  the  greater  the  proportion  of  the 
churches  which  are  on  the  decline.  In  Ohio  more  than  4,500,  or  66  per 
cent,  of  the  rural  churches  have  a  membership  of  100  or  less;  more  than 
3,600,  or  55  per  cent,  have  a  membership  of  75  or  less;  more  than  2,400,  or 
37  per  cent,  a  membership  of  50  or  less. 

The  membership  in  these  country  churches  is  distressingly  small,  but 
the  attendance  is  smaller  still.  The  data  available  indicate  that  ordi- 
narily it  is  less  than  half  the  membership. 

In  six  churches  taken  at  random,  it  was  found  that  the  figures  ran  as 
follows: 

8 


SUMMARY    OF    RESULTS  .  9 

Membership  Avrragr,  allcndanre 

125 34 

300 13^1 

173 30  to  40 

150 Less  than  30 

300 : 40 

1,048 270 

In  one  township  it  is  reported  that  the  average  attendance  in  each  of  its 
eight  churches  is  less  than  25. 

One  of  the  most  striking  facts  is  the  shortage  of  resident  ministers. 
While  a  reasonable  degree  of  interchurch  cooperation  should  result  in 
the  maintenance  of  a  resident  pastor  in  nearly  every  township,  yet  in 
317,  or  27  per  cent,  of  the  strictly  rural  townships,  no  church  has  a  res- 
ident pastor.  (See  Map  11,  page  49.)  More  than  4,400,  or  about  two- 
thirds,  of  the  churches  in  rural  Ohio,  and  39  per  cent  of  the  villages  are 
without  resident  ministers,  while  in  the  open  country  only  360,  or  13  per 
cent,  of  the  2,807  churches  have  resident  pastors. 

The  efforts  of  the  ministers  are  so  scattered  over  fields  more  or  less 
widely  separated  that  much  of  their  effectiveness  is  lost.  (Consult  the 
county  maps,  pages  147-234.)  More  than  5,500  of  the  6,642  country 
churches  are  without  the  full  time  service  of  a  minister;  3,755  have  only 
one- third  or  less  of  a  minister's  services;  2,500  have  one-fourth  or  less; 
while  more  than  750  have  no  regular  service  of  a  minister  at  all.  A 
large  number  of  ministers  have  other  occupations  than  the  ministry. 

Moreover  it  is  a  rule  of  nearly  universal  application  that  ministers  of 
country  churches  in  Ohio  do  not  remain  long  enough  in  their  parishes  to 
make  effective  service  possible.  According  to  the  official  records  of  the 
conferences  of  the  largest  and  doubtless  one  of  the  most,  efficient  of  the 
denominations,  in  the  fall  of  191 7,  48  per  cent  of  its  rural  ministers  were 
about  to  begin  their  first  year,  and  74  per  cent  either  their  first  or  second 
year  of  service  in  the  fields  to  which  they  were  appointed.  Only  26  per 
cent  had  had  a  two  years'  acquaintance  with  their  parishes,  while  only 


lO         ■      SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

8  ministers,  or  scarcely  more  than  i  per  cent,  had  served  as  long  as  five 
}'ears.    This  condition  is  no  better  in  nearly  all  the  other  denominations. 

Because  of  this,  and  also  because  the  effort  of  the  ministr^^  is  divided 
among  various  and  widely  separated  churches,  the  people  who  live  in 
the  rural  districts  in  Ohio  receive  too  little  pastoral  service.  The  short 
term  also  discourages  the  ministers  from  attempting  to  discover  and  meet 
the  needs  of  their  communities  and  from  formulating  and  carr^dng  out 
any  adequate  plans  of  community  service.  The  churches,  as  a  rule,  are 
not  trained  to  expect  such  service,  nor  the  ministers  to  render  it. 

In  certain  extensive  areas  in  Ohio  the  country  church  seems  to  have 
broken  down.  (See  Chapters  IV  and  V.)  In  regions  where  it  has  been 
active  for  a  century  it  has  failed  and  is  now  failing  to  dispel  ignorance  and 
superstition,  to  prevent  the  spread  of  vice  and  disease,  and  to  check  the 
increasing  production  of  undeveloped  and  abnormal  individuals.  Be- 
cause of  the  lack  of  an  organization  to  coordinate  the  work  of  the  denom- 
inations, and  to  study  the  field  as  a  whole,  no  one  has  been  conscious  of 
responsibiHty  for  such  failure.  The  conditions  have  not  even  been  known 
by  many  of  the  church  officials  who  were  responsible,  and  a  situation  has 
been  permitted  to  develop  which  threatens  the  welfare  of  the  whole  State 
and  demands  the  immediate  redirection  of  the  Church's  missionary 
activities. 

The  pay  of  the  country  ministers  in  Ohio  is  small,  the  support  of  the 
church  meager.  According  to  the  records  of  the  Conferences  held  in  the 
fall  of  1917  the  majority  of  the  ministers  (58  per  cent)  of  the  largest 
denomination  received  less  than  $1,100  each,  three-fourths  (74.6  per 
cent)  less  than  $1,200,  while  the  average  amount  was  $857  and  free  use 
of  parsonage.  In  the  denomination  with  the  second  largest  number  of 
country  churches  the  average  salary  was  only  $787,  or  $680  and  free  use 
of  parsonage. 

Over  considerable  areas  a  large  proportion  of  the  ministers  are  un- 
educated. Often  they  are  illiterate  and  entirely  im£tted  to  render  service 
acceptable  to  the  more  intelligent  part  of  their  people.    In  most  of  the 


SUMMARY   OF   RESULTS  II 

State,  the  standard  of  education  for  ministers  is  low.  It  is  in  part  due 
to  the  failure  of  an  insufficiently  educated  ministry  to  stimulate  the 
intellectual  life  of  the  people,  that  from  1,500,000  to  2,000,000  people  in 
the  State  have  no  public  Ubraries. 

Unless  a  larger  and  stronger  social  and  religious  institution  is  created 
in  the  country  districts  than  is  now  found  in  the  country  church,  the  more 
vigorous  young  people  will  for  the  most  part  leave  the  country,  and  an 
inferior  class  will  take  their  places  on  the  farm.  A  process  of  reverse 
selection  will  therefore  set  in  which  must  result  in  the  general  debasement 
of  our  rural  population  and  ultimately  of  our  nation  as  a  whole.  As  is 
well  known,  this  process  of  decadence  is  already  taking  place  over  very 
large  areas  in  rural  America. 


CHAPTER  IV 

WHERE  CHURCH  EFFICIENCY  IS   LOWEST 

The  facts  summarized  in  the  previous  chapter  show  that  in  rural  Ohio 
the  church  as  a  whole  is  not  adequately  performing  its  great  and  difficult 
task.  It  is  equally  evident  that  no  institution  could  hope  for  a  high  de- 
gree of  success  unless  more  progressive  in  method  and  administration. 
Furthermore,  unless  the  urban  officials  or  directors  in  charge  of  rural 
churches  come  to  appreciate  the  fundamental  importance  of  the  country 
church  problem,  address  themselves  more  seriously  to  the  task  in  hand, 
and  make  really  effective  use  of  improved  organization  and  available 
human  and  material  resources,  the  country  church  will  continue  to  de- 
cline. While  there  are  very  many  successful  churches,  and  many  rural 
communities  socially,  morally,  and  economically  prosperous,  failures 
occur  in  equally  large  numbers. 

A  most  striking  illustration  of  the  churches'  inefficiency  may  be  found 
in  southern  and  southeastern  Ohio.  Here,  in  a  region  covering  at  least 
eighteen  counties,  the  failure  of  the  churches  may  fairly  be  called  pathetic. 
These  counties  are  Adams,  Athens,  Brown,  Clermont,  Gallia,  Highland, 
Hocking,  Jackson,  Lawrence,  Meigs,  Monroe,  Morgan,  Noble,  Pike, 
Ross,  Scioto,  Vinton,  and  Washington.  In  this  area,  after  more  than  a 
hundred  years  of  the  work  of  the  churches,  the  religious,  social,  and 
economic  welfare  of  the  people  are  going  down.  Although  the  churches 
have  been  here  for  more  than  a  century,  no  normal  type  of  organized 
reKgion  is  really  flourishing,  while  the  only  kind  which,  during  the  past 
fifteen  years,  has  been  gaining  ground,  the  cult  of  the  Holy  Rollers,  is 
scarcely  better  than  that  of  a  Dervish.  The  churches  have  failed  and  are 
failing  to  dispel  ignorance  and  superstition,  to  prevent  the  increase  of 


WHERF   CHURCH  EFFICIENCY   IS    LOWEST  1 3 

vice,  the  spread  of  disease,  and  the  general  moral  and  spiritual  decadence 
of  the  people. 

Most  of  the  information  concerning  the  Eighteen  Counties,  as  for  con- 
venience, this  region  is  hereafter  called,  was  derived  from  personal  in- 
vestigation on  the  ground  by  Mr.  Gill,  from  the  testimony  of  two  trained 
investigators,  and  from  interviews  and  correspondence  with  local  mer- 
chants, physicians,  clergymen,  school  teachers,  superintendents  of 
schools  and  churches,  farmers,  and  Sunday  school  workers.  Information 
confirming  what  had  already  been  received  was  found  in  the  statistical 
reports  of  the  national  and  state  governments.  Some  of  the  results  of  a 
study  of  the  reports  of  the  Ohio  Bureau  of  Vital  Statistics  and  the  United 
States  Census  are  given  in  Table  A  and  in  Maps  A,  and  Maps  i  to  lo, 
on  pages  26  to  36. 

In  Map  A  the  heavily  shaded  area  indicates  the  Eighteen  Counties 
included  in  this  region.  Ten  other  counties  bordering  upon  them  are 
shaded  more  lightly.  Many  communities  in  these  ten  bordering  counties 
are  influenced  by  the  migration  of  population  from  the  Eighteen  Counties. 

In  no  less  than  twelve  out  of  the  Eighteen  Counties,  the  death  rate 
from  tuberculosis  is  excessive.  (See  Map  i  and  Table  A,  column  i .)  Re- 
ports of  the  Ohio  Bureau  of  Vital  Statistics  for  the  years  1909,  1910,  and 
191 1  (the  latest  we  could  secure  on  this  subject),  give  the  average  annual 
deaths  from  this  disease  for  100,000  persons,  as  125  for  the  whole  State. 
On  Map  I,  all  counties  are  shaded  whose  rate  exceeds  not  125  only,  but 
145.  Of  the  seventeen  counties  in  the  State  whose  death  rate  from  tuber- 
culosis is  145  or  over,  all  but  five  are  in  this  region,  and  of  the  five  one  is  a 
bordering  county. 

Outside  this  area  and  the  bordering  counties,  the  highest  rate  is  in 
Franklin,  of  which  the  city  of  Columbus  is  the  county  seat;  but  of  the 
Eighteen  Counties,  seven  have  a  higher  rate  than  Franklin.  In  Clermont 
County  it  is  164,  in  Scioto  169,  in  Lawrence  172,  in  Ross  175,  in  GalHa  184, 
while  in  Pike  it  is  no  less  than  216, — far  larger  than  for  any  other  rural 
county  in  the  State.    In  Hamilton  County,  in  which  is  the  city  of  Cin- 


14  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

cinnati,  and  which  is  adjacent  to  Clermont  County,  the  rate  of  217  is 
probably  due  to  the  large  colored  population. 

It  will  be  observed,  therefore,  that  in  no  less  than  two-thirds  of  the 
Eighteen  Counties  the  rate  of  death  from  this  preventable  disease  is 
excessively  and  indefensibly  high. 

The  number  of  illegitimate  births  in  the  Eighteen  Counties  is  likewise 
excessive.  (See  Map  2  and  Table  A,  column  2,  pages  28  and  37.)  The 
rate  per  100,000  population  for  the  State  is  43.9.  Of  the  28  counties 
whose  rate  is  above  the  average,  19,  or  68  per  cent,  are  either  in  the 
Eighteen  Counties  or  the  counties  bordering  upon  them.  No  less  than 
thirteen,  or  more  than  two-thirds,  of  the  Eighteen  Counties  have  an 
excessive  number  of  illegitimate  births.  Outside  this  area  and  the  border- 
ing counties  the  highest  rate  for  any  county  is  61,  but  in  ten  of  the 
Eighteen  Counties  it  is  greater  than  this.  Whereas  the  rate  for  the 
State  is  less  than  44,  in  Athens  County  it  is  65,  in  Noble  67,  in  Scioto  73, 
in  Gallia  76,  in  Hocking  and  Monroe  78,  in  Ross  87,  in  Pike  89,  in 
Lawrence  no  less  than  113,  while  in  Jackson  it  is  123,  or  the  highest  rate 
in  the  State. 

It  will  be  noted  that  these  figures  cover  the  counties  in  which  are  the 
large  cities  as  well  as  the  rural  counties.  But  in  Hamilton,  containing  the 
city  of  Cincinnati,  the  rate  is  only  66,  in  Franklin,  containing  the  city  of 
Columbus,  it  is  56,  and  in  Cuyahoga,  containing  the  city  of  Cleveland, 
it  is  only  50. 

Illiteracy  also,  in  the  Eighteen  Counties,  is  excessive.  (See  Map  3  and 
column  3  of  Table  A.)  The  per  cent  of  illiterate  males  of  voting  age  for  the 
State  in  1910  was  4.2.  There  are  29  counties  in  which  that  number  was 
exceeded.  Of  these,  fourteen  are  among  the  Eighteen  Counties,  and  five 
border  upon  them.  In  Brown  County,  the  percentage  is  4.3,  in  Washing- 
ton and  Noble  4.5,  in  Monroe  5.4,  in  Adams  6.9,  in  Athens  and  Ross  7.4, 
in  Scioto  7.7,  in  Gallia  8.1,  in  Vinton  8.4,  in  Hocking  8.6,  while  in  Pike  it  is 
10.7,  and  in  Lawrence  11.6. 

Among  the  remaining  ten  counties  whose  percentage  of  illiteracy  is 


WHERE   CHURCH   EFFICIENCY   IS   LOWEST  1 5 

above  the  average  it  appears  (see  Map  4,  page  30)  that  in  all  but  three, 
the  percentage  of  foreign-born  persons  is  large,  and  that  among  counties 
where  the  foreign  born  are  few,  there  are,  outside  the  Eighteen  Counties, 
only  six  for  which  the  percentage  of  illiteracy  is  greater  than  4.2,  and 
three  of  these  are  included  in  the  counties  which  border  upon  them. 

It  will  be  noted  that  in  this  region  the  number  of  foreign-born  persons 
is  very  small.  The  percentage  for  the  State  is  12.5,  whereas  in  the  Eight- 
een Counties  it  is  only  2.3.  No  less  than  53  counties  out  of  the  70  out- 
side of  the  Eighteen  Counties,  have  a  foreign  population  of  more  than 
2.3  per  cent. 

In  this  region,  therefore,  where  there  is  so  high  a  percentage  of  iUiteracy, 
of  illegitimacy,  and  of  deaths  from  preventable  disease,  the  people  are 
more  nearly  pure  Americans  than  in  the  rest  of  the  State.  They  compare 
unfavorably  with  the  people  of  counties  where  a  large  proportion  are 
foreigners.  It  is  true  that  the  cause  does  not  lie  in  the  origin  of  the  popula- 
tion. But  the  fact  that  these  things  are  true  in  the  most  American  parts 
of  Ohio,  where  we  should  naturally  expect  to  find  the  best  situation, 
greatly  emphasizes  the  significance  of  the  conditions  disclosed. 

It  is  an  additional  indictment  against  those  who  are  responsible  that 
in  Mahoning  County  more  than  28  per  cent  and  in  Cuyahoga  County 
more  than  t^t,  per  cent  of  the  population  in  1910  were  foreign  born,  yet 
in  these  counties,  containing  the  large  cities  of  Youngstown  and  Cleve- 
land, the  moral  and  social  conditions  are  better  than  in  the  Eighteen 
Counties — a  rural  section  inhabited  by  our  purest  American  stock. 

Such  statistical  data  as  are  here  presented  are  but  as  smoke  indicating 
fire.  They  do  not  overstate  the  urgency  of  the  appeal  from  the  unfor- 
tunate over-churched  and  under-ministered  communities  of  this  section. 
Here  gross  superstition  exercises  strong  control  over  the  thought  and 
action  of  a  large  proportion  of  the  people.  Syphilitic  and  other  venereal 
diseases  are  common  and  increasing  over  whole  counties,  while  in  some 
communities  nearly  every  family  is  afflicted  with  inherited  or  infectious 
disease.    Many  cases  of  incest  are  known,  inbreeding  is  rife.    Imbeciles, 


l6  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

feeble-minded,  and  delinquents  are  numerous,  politics  is  corrupt,  the 
selling  of  votes  is  common,  petty  crimes  abound,  the  schools  have  been 
badly  managed  and  poorly  attended.  Cases  of  rape,  assault,  and  robbery 
are  of  almost  weekly  occurrence  within  five  minutes'  walk  of  the  corpora- 
tion limits  of  one  of  the  county  seats,  while  in  another  county  political 
control  is  held  by  a  self-confessed  criminal.  AlcohoHc  intemperence  is 
excessive.  Gross  immorality  and  its  evil  results  are  by  no  means  con- 
fined to  the  hill  districts,  but  are  extreme  also  in  the  towns. 

Adams  County  was  made  notorious  because  in  the  1910  election  nearly 
2,000  persons  were  disenfranchised  for  selling  their  votes,  and  there  is 
convincing  evidence  that  it  does  not  stand  alone.  Of  course  there  are 
many  communities  in  this  region  where  conditions  are  better,  such  as  the 
area  immediately  affected  by  the  admirable  and  effective  work  of  Rio 
Grande  College.  But  there  is  just  as  little  question  that  the  general 
deplorable  condition  of  the  Eighteen  Counties,  ascertained  through  the 
personal  investigations  of  Mr.  Gill,  and  confirmed  by  wide  correspondence 
and  the  statistical  data  here  summarized,  is  true. 

The  bad  economic,  as  distinguished  from  the  moral,  conditions  in  the 
Eighteen  Counties  are  largely  due  to  steriKty  of  soil,  and  to  the  fact  that 
many  of  its  hillsides  are  too  steep  for  profitable  cultivation.  It  is  often 
contended  that  economic  conditions  affect  rehgion  and  morals,  and  there 
is  much  truth  in  that  contention.  But  it  cannot  be  held  that  steep  hill- 
sides and  sterile  soil  of  themselves  produce  conditions  such  as  are  here 
described.  Merely  to  state  such  a  proposition  is  to  refute  it.  Moral  and 
religious  poverty  must  bear  at  least  as  much  of  the  blame  as  poverty  of 
the  soil.    (See  Maps  8,  9,  and  10,  and  Table  A,  columns  8  and  9.) 

The  total  value  of  farm  property  falls  below  15  million  dollars  in  but 
21  of  the  88  counties  of  Ohio.  Of  the  21,  all  but  6  are  among  the  Eighteen 
Counties.  (See  Map  8,  and  Table  A,  column  8.)  In  Adams,  Athens,  and 
Monroe  Counties,  the  value  of  farm  property  is  only  10  million  doUars 
each;  in  Morgan  9,  in  Meigs  and  Scioto  8,  in  Gallia  7,  in  Hocking  and  Pike 
6,  in  Jackson  and  Lawrence  5,  and  in  Vinton  only  4. 


WHERE   CHURCH  EFFICIENCY  IS   LOWEST  1 7 

According  to  the  United  States  Census  the  value  of  farm  property  in 
Ohio  increased  nearly  60  per  cent  from  1900  to  19 10.  There  were  only 
ten  counties  in  the  State  in  which  farm  property  had  not  increased  more 
than  25  per  cent  during  that  period.  Eight  of  these  are  among  the 
Eighteen  Counties.    (See  Map  9,  and  Table  A,  column  9.) 

According  to  the  Census  of  1910,  there  were  only  13  counties  in  Ohio 
whose  land  was  valued  at  not  more  than  $25.00  per  acre.  All  of  them  are 
in  the  Eighteen  Counties.  (See  Map  10.)  In  the  remaining  five  the  land 
is  valued  at  not  more  than  $50.00  per  acre.  It  becomes  impossible, 
therefore,  to  avoid  the  question  whether  the  character  of  the  soil  deter- 
mines the  character  and  destiny  of  the  people  who  are  born  upon  it. 

Attention  should  be  directed  in  passing  to  the  fact  that  the  low  value 
of  the  land  is  due  in  part  to  the  failure  of  the  people  who  Hve  upon  it  to 
develop  and  use  the  natural  resources  which  are  available.  In  some  of  the 
poorest  regions  in  the  Eighteen  Counties  an  occasional  farmer  is  making  a 
good  Hving  from  the  soil,  although  his  land  by  nature  is  no  better  than 
that  of  his  poor  neighbors.  As  a  rule  the  agricultural  opportunities  of 
the  region  are  neglected.  For  example,  little  fruit  is  grown,  although 
both  climate  and  soil  in  much  of  the  region  are  very  favorable  to  fruit 
production. 

But  it  remains  true  that  the  natural  conditions  as  a  whole  are  not  as 
favorable  for  agriculture,  as  they  are  to  the  north  and  northwest;  and  it 
is  an  unquestionable  fact  that  the  character  and  condition  of  the  earth's 
surface  has  a  relation  to  the  physical,  intellectual,  social,  and  moral  con- 
ditions of  the  people  who  Hve  upon  it.  Undoubtedly  this  is  as  true  in 
southeastern  Ohio  as  it  is  elsewhere.  Poor  soil,  as  a  rule,  does  not  hold 
upon  itself  the  most  enterprising  famiHes  so  tenaciously  as  good  soil,  and 
for  that  reason  we  might  fairly  expect  the  people  of  these  districts  to 
have  less  vigor  and  less  initiative.  On  such  soil  it  is  therefore  more 
difficult  to  sustain  thriving  churches,  and  so  the  moral  and  religious  life 
ma}'  be  more  prone  to  decline. 

But  soil  conditions  by  themselves  cannot  demoralize  a  people.    They 


l8  SIX   THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

can  do  so  only  where  the  church  is  faihng  to  do  its  work.  The  natural 
conditions  of  soil  and  climate  are  by  no  means  worse  in  the  Eighteen 
Counties  than  in  many  other  areas  where  fairly  good  moral  conditions 
are  found.  They  are  no  worse  than  they  were  in  the  parish  of  John 
Frederick  OberHn,  nor  in  many  fairly  prosperous  New  England  com- 
munities of  to-day.  Even  where  moral,  economic,  and  other  conditions 
are  bad,  communities  usually  respond  quickly  to  the  work  of  a  well- 
equipped  resident  pastor,  as  the  experience  of  home  missionaries  abun- 
dantly proves. 

In  the  first  parish  served  as  pastor  by  Mr,  Gill,  the  soil  and  the  people 
were  very  poor.  The  moral  conditions,  because  of  a  church  situation 
very  similar  to  that  of  the  neglected  communities  of  southeastern  Ohio, 
were  bad.  But  the  response  to  the  work  of  a  church  which  gave  good 
service  was  all  that  could  have  been  anticipated.  Even  the  economic 
conditions  were  notably  improved  as  a  result  of  the  church's  work,  while 
the  moral  change  in  the  community  was  striking,  rapid,  and  enduring. 
Men  famiHar  with  home  missionary  work  regard  such  results  as  normal. 

Where  the  conditions  are  as  unfavorable  as  they  are  in  the  Eighteen 
Counties,  it  is  unquestionably  the  duty  of  the  church  as  a  whole,  and 
especially  of  the  churches  of  the  prosperous  districts,  to  assist  the  weaker 
churches  not  only  with  supervision  and  advice,  but  also  by  helping  to  pro- 
vide well-trained  and  well-equipped  ministers,  thus  guarding  against  the 
ravages  of  an  ignorant  and  untrained  or  imworthy  and  insincere  ministry. 

The  people  of  southeastern  Ohio  will  undoubtedly  be  as  responsive  to 
good  church  work  and  as  ready  to  follow  good  religious  leadership  as  the 
people  of  similar  regions  elsewhere.  Such  work  and  leadership  for  many 
years,  at  least,  they  have  not  had.  (See  the  next  chapter.)  Their  eccle- 
siastical and  religious  conditions  are  such  as  afford  no  ground  for  expecting 
better  social,  moral,  and  physical  conditions  than  those  actually  found 
to  exist.  Surely  we  cannot  accept  these  conditions  as  inevitable  until  the 
church  shall  at  least  have  made  a  serious  effort  to  test  the  possibihties 
and  learn  the  results  of  carrying  out  a  live  and  modern  program. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE   CHURCHES   IN   THE   EIGHTEEN   COUNTIES 

In  the  Eighteen  Counties  of  Southeastern  Ohio  some  of  the  older  and 
stronger  denominations  are  well  represented,  as  Table  C  shows.  (See 
page  39.)  No  less  than  526,  or  more  than  one- third,  of  the  total  number 
of  churches  are  Methodist  Episcopal.  Nearly  one-tenth  are  United 
Brethren  in  Christ,  another  tenth  Baptist,  one-fifteenth  Christian,  and 
one-fifteenth  Presbyterian;  while  other  powerful  denominations  are  also 
present.  It  is  evident  that  the  failure  of  the  churches  in  this  area  cannot 
be  laid  to  the  weakness  or  poverty  of  the  denominations  represented,  for 
they  are  for  the  most  part  neither  weak  nor  poor.  Ohio,  moreover,  is  a 
wealthy  State,  and  its  churches  make  large  contributions  for  church 
work  and  church  extension  both  in  America  and  abroad. 

It  has  been  too  commonly  held  in  the  past  that  missionary  effort  should 
consist  largely  in  organizing  and  building  churches.  We  do  not  believe 
that  proposition  is  sound.  In  rural  Ohio  the  worst  moral  and  religious 
conditions  are  found  where  there  are  the  largest  number  of  churches  in 
proportion  to  the  number  of  inhabitants. 

In  39  counties  out  of  a  total  of  88  in  the  State,  there  is  one  country 
church  for  each  275  people  or  less.  (See  Map  5  and  Table  A,  column  5.) 
Of  these  39  counties,  17  are  among  the  Eighteen  Counties  under  our  special 
consideration.  Outside  these  Eighteen  Counties  and  the  counties  con- 
tiguous to  them,  no  county  has  an  average  of  less  than  228  persons  to  a 
church,  but  it  appears  that  Washington  has  one  church  for  226  persons, 
Monroe  one  for  214,  Pike  one  for  211,  Gallia  one  for  197,  Morgan  one  for 
194,  Jackson  one  for  193,  while  Vinton  has  one  for  182,  and  Meigs  one 
church  for  178.    In  the  rural  sections  of  these  Eighteen  Counties  there 

19 


20  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

are  1,542  churches  and  248  townships,  or  more  than  6  churches  to  a 
township. 

While  the  fact  that  this  region  is  more  difficult  to  travel,  because  more 
hilly,  than  many  other  parts  of  the  State  might  constitute  a  reason  for 
having  many  churches,  it  certainly  cannot  be  held  that  the  bad  moral  and 
rehgious  conditions  which  exist  are  due  to  lack  of  a  sufficient  number  of 
them.  Nor  is  support  here  to  be  found  for  the  contention  sometimes  made 
that  rehgious  work  thrives  best  under  competition. 

The  larger  the  number  of  churches  in  proportion  to  the  population, 
the  more  difficult  it  obviously  becomes  to  secure,  support,  and  retain 
resident  pastors.  In  .proportion  to  the  number  of  churches,  the  Eighteen 
Counties  have  a  comparatively  small  number  of  ministers.  (See  Map  6 
and  Table  A,  column  6.)  In  the  State  as  a  whole,  about  one- third,  or  34 
per  cent,  of  the  churches  have  resident  ministers.  In  only  three  counties 
outside  the  Eighteen  is  it  true  that  less  than  one-fourth  of  the  churches 
have  them.  These  are  Delaware,  Coshocton,  and  Pickaway,  and  the 
latter  is  one  of  the  bordering  counties.  But  in  13  of  the  Eighteen  Coun- 
ties less  than  one-fourth  of  the  churches  have  resident  ministers.  It  will 
be  noted  that  less  than  one-fifth  of  the  churches  in  Scioto,  Pike,  Lawrence, 
and  Meigs  Counties  have  resident  ministers,  one-sixth  in  Morgan  County, 
and  less  than  one-sixth  in  Jackson,  Hocking,  and  GaUia. 

In  the  Eighteen  Counties  the  number  of  resident  ministers  in  propor- 
tion to  the  population,  as  well  as  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  churches, 
is  small.  (See  Map  7  and  Table  A,  column  7.)  There  are  24  counties  in 
Ohio  in  which  there  are  more  than  i  ,000  persons  for  each  resident  minister, 
of  which  13  are  among  the  Eighteen  Counties  under  consideration,  and 
three  among  the  bordering  counties.  Noble  County  has  a  resident 
minister  to  every  1,240  persons,  Galha  to  every  1,396,  Lawrence  to  every 
1,450,  Pickaway  to  every  1,458,  while  Hocking  has  only  one  to  1,693,  ^^ 
nearly  1,700  persons.  Here,  as  in  most  rural  sections,  an  absentee  min- 
istry is  necessarily  ineffective.    (See  pages  50-51.) 

The  foregoing  facts  afford  convincing  evidence  that  the  church  in  this 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   THE   EIGHTEEN   COUNTIES  21 

region  is  rendering  poor  service — how  poor  the  reader  may  judge  from 
the  following  description  of  the  religious  and  ecclesiastical  conditions 
found  by  Mr.  Gill  in  his  personal  investigation  on  the  ground. 

For  the  most  part  the  farm  people  of  these  Eighteen  Counties  are  very 
religious.  This  is  attested  not  merely  by  the  large  number  of  churches, 
but  also  by  the  frequency  of  well-attended  revival  services,  held  in  spring, 
summer,  autumn,  and  winter.  (In  Pike  County,  for  example,  no  less 
than  1,500  revival  services  were  held  in  thirty  years,  or  an  average  of  50 
each  year.)  Yet  a  normal,  wholesome  rehgion,  bearing  as  its  fruit  better 
living  and  all-round  human  development,  and  cherished  and  propagated 
by  sane  and  sober-miiided  people,  is  rarely  known.  The  main  function  of 
a  church,  according  to  the  popular  conception,  is  to  hold  these  protracted 
meetings,  to  stir  up  religious  emotion,  and,  under  its  influence,  to  bring 
to  pass  certain  psychological  experiences.  The  idea  seems  to  be  dominant 
in  nearly  all  the  denominations  and  churches  that  the  presence  of  the 
Deity  is  made  known  mainly,  if  not  solely,  through  states  of  intense 
emotion  which  may  be  stimulated  in  religious  assemblies.  Such  emotioii 
is  held  to  be  not  only  a  manifestation  of  the  Deity's  presence,  but  also  a 
proof  of  His  existence.  No  man  is  held  to  be  religious  or  saved  from  evil 
destiny  unless  he  has  had  such  experience.  It  becomes,  therefore,  the 
business  of  the  preacher  of  the  church  to  create  conditions  favorable  to 
the  experiencing  of  these  emotions. 

Officials  of  denominations  to  which  more  than  two-thirds  of  the 
churches  belong  encourage  or  permit  the  promotion  of  a  religion  of  the 
excessively  emotional  type,  which  encourages  rolling  upon  the  floor  by 
men,  women,  and  children,  and  going  into  trances,  while  some  things 
which  have  happened  in  the  regular  services  of  a  church  in  one  of  the 
largest  denominations  cannot  properly  be  described  in  print.  The  leaders 
of  a  religious  cult  commonly  called  Holy  Rollers  seem  to  be  most  efficient 
in  this  direction.  The  character  of  their  services  and  activities  produce 
the  results  desired,  according  to  the  traditions  accepted  and  proclaimed 
for  generations  by  ignorant  preachers  to  a  nonprogressive  people. 


22  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

A  Holy  Roller  movement  was  started  in  Pike  County  in  the  year  1902. 
It  has  steadily  been  gaining  ground  ever  since,  and  has  never  been  more 
flourishing  than  now.  It  is  the  livest  sect  in  this  and  neighboring  counties. 
Its  meetings  are  large  and  full  of  enthusiasm.  Except  the  churches  of 
this  cult,  very  few  are  now  left  in  the  western  half  of  Pike  County  which 
show  any  activity  whatever.  In  one  district  of  1 50  square  miles  (in  which 
there  are  1,200  children  enrolled  in  the  schools  and  in  all  1,600  young 
people  from  the  ages  of  six  to  twenty)  no  churches  were  holding  services 
in  191 7  except  those  of  the  Holy  Rollers. 

The  seasons  of  protracted  Holy  Roller  meetings  often  last  for  several 
weeks.  Frequently  they  begin  each  day  at  10.00  A.  M.  and  continue 
until  2.00  A.  M.  the  next  day,  with  intermissions  for  meals.  These 
meetings  are  characterized  by  much  singing,  with  music  well  adapted  to 
rythmic  motions  of  the  body,  by  dancing  and  clapping  the  hands,  some- 
times by  shouting  and  joyous  screaming,  rolling  upon  the  floor,  tumbling 
together  of  men  and  women  in  heaps,  trances,  while  at  least  one  of  their 
preachers  has  exercised  hypnotic  power  over  some  of  his  followers  and 
has  put  them  through  stunts  in  no  way  differing  from  those  of  the  profes- 
sional hypnotist  showman  who,  in  times  past,  for  the  price  of  admission, 
has  amused  and  astonished  his  audience  with  exhibitions  of  his  skill. 

In  one  village  where  Mr.  Gill  attended  a  church  belonging  to  this 
movement,  it  was  the  only  reHgious  organization  holding  services  or  show- 
ing any  signs  of  life.  Although  at  this  service  the  building  was  full  to  its 
capacity,  as  is  usual  with  meetings  of  this  kind,  the  church  not  only  had 
no  Sunday  school,  but  its  leaders  kept  the  children  away  from  one  which 
a  missionary  of  the  American  Sunday  School  Union  was  trying  to  start 
in  the  neighborhood.  Three-fourths  of  the  parents  of  the  fifty  pupils 
in  the  local  school  were  adherents  of  this  cult,  yet  its  leaders  opposed 
having  better  day  schools.  The  school  principal,  under  the  direction  of 
the  County  School  Superintendent,  tried  to  hold  literary  meetings  for 
intellectual  and  social  improvement,  but  under  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Roller  leaders,  the  parents  refused  to  let  their  children  attend,  and  the 


THE   CHURCHES   IN   THE   EIGHTEEN   COUNTIES  23 

enterprise  was  defeated.  Apparently  no  meeting  for  any  purpose  is  to 
be  tolerated  except  the  Holy  Roller  meetings  themselves.  These  the- 
oretically and  in  fact  take  the  place  of  all  other  gatherings. 

The  Holy  Roller  church  in  this  community,  as  elsewhere,  in  its  total 
influence  promotes  immoraUty.  It  has  a  tendency  to  break  up  families 
and  destroy  the  peace  and  harmony  of  the  neighborhood.  In  the  judg- 
ment of  the  more  sober-minded  people,  the  Holy  Roller  movement  spoils 
the  Hfe  of  the  community  wherever  it  goes. 

Although  the  Holy  Roller  cult  apparently  was  not  started  In  this 
region  until  a  few  years  ago,  it  would  seem  that  the  religious  activities  of 
the  older  denominational  churches  were  but  a  good  preparation  for  it. 
In  fact,  good  soil  is  found  for  sprouting  the  seed  of  Holy  Rollerism  in 
many  sections  of  the  State.  The  diflference  in  rehgious  behefs  and  ideals 
between  the  Holy  Rollers  and  the  preachers  of  other  denominations  in 
the  Eighteen  Counties  too  often  is  not  easily  detected.  Denominations 
to  which  at  least  two-thirds  of  the  churches  belong  employ  many  men  and 
women  as  preachers  who  are  extremely  ignorant. 

In  one  of  its  districts,  nearly  half  of  the  twenty  or  thirty  ministers  of 
the  largest  denomination  in  the  State  did  not  have  a  common  school 
education.  It  is  usual  to  find  ministers  intellectually  inferior  to  a  number 
of  famines  whom  they  are  supposed  to  lead  and  teach.  In  some  districts  a 
considerable  proportion  of  the  preachers  have  had  no  more  than  three  or 
four  grades  of  common  school  instruction.  Some  cannot  write  their  own 
names  correctly.  Accordingly  religious  education  is  neglected.  The 
people  apparently  have  been  untouched  by  the  general  advance  in 
religious  knowledge  during  the  past  century. 

Many  intelligent  people  in  the  Eighteen  Counties  deplore  these  condi- 
tions and  would  be  glad  to  have  churches  of  a  different  type.  But  it  is 
also  very  common  to  find  among  the  more  prosperous,  especially  in  the 
fertile  river  valleys,  a  spirit  of  utter  indifference  towards  rehgion,  and 
often  of  gross  materiahsm.  Under  such  circumstances  it  is  not  surprising 
to  find  that  in  several  sections  much  hostiUty  to  institutional  rehgion 


24  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

exists.  It  is  given  expression  by  rural  hoodlums  who  cut  to  pieces  har- 
nesses and  slash  tires  belonging  to  ministers  or  lajyinen  who  attend 
religious  gatherings,  while  in  some  communities  stones  are  thrown  through 
the  windows  of  buildings  where  pubHc  worship  is  being  held. 

While  it  is  true  that  out  of  the  poorest  and  most  unfortunate  districts 
bright  boys  and  girls  frequently  emerge,  escape  their  surroundings,  and 
become  good  citizens,  it  is  none  the  less  true  that  a  large  proportion  of 
those  who  remain  have  no  reasonable  chance  for  wholesome  development. 

The  bad  influence  of  the  Eighteen  Counties  extends  far  beyond  their 
borders.  Out  of  them  many  farm  laborers  have  gone  to  communities  to 
the  north  and  northwest,  often  with  deplorable  results  to  the  social, 
religious,  and  moral  conditions  of  the  communities  where  they  are  em- 
ployed. (See  Table  B.)  It  is  calculated  that  no  less  than  61,000  persons 
emigrated  in  the  ten-year  period  from  1900  to  1910  from  the  strictly  rural 
districts  of  sixteen  of  the  Eighteen  Counties. 

In  Madison,  a  fertile  county  near  the  center  of  the  State;  in  an  area 
sixteen  miles  long  and  from  seven  to  eleven  miles  wide,  there  are  three 
closed  and  no  active  churches.  One  of  the  causes  of  this  condition  is  the 
fact  that  the  farm  laborers  imported  by  the  owners  of  large  tracts  of 
lands  were  never  made  familiar,  before  they  came,  with  a  normal  type  of 
religion.  .  These  men  come  from  the  Eighteen  Counties  or  from  sections 
across  the  Ohio  River  where  the  conditions  are  very  much  the  same.  In 
parts  of  several  other  counties  the  situation  brought  about  by  similar 
immigration  is  extremely  bad. 

The  Eighteen  Counties  demand  missionary  activity  on  the  part  of  the 
church  as  a  whole,  not  only  for  the  sake  of  the  unfortunate  people  who 
live  in  them,  but  also  for  the  sake  of  the  other  regions  whose  welfare  is 
threatened  by  the  transfer  of  low  standards  of  all  kinds,  which,  like  a 
forest  fire,  are  creeping  away  from  the  region  where  they  originated. 

Among  the  large  number  of  intelKgent  persons  who  know  and  deplore 
the  situation  in  typical  communities  of  southeastern  Ohio,  very  few  seem 
to  cherish  hope  of  improvement.    Such  pessimism  appears  to  be  unjus- 


THE    CHURCHES    IN    THE    EIGHTEEN    COUNTIES  25 

tified.  Good  work  is  now  being  done  by  missionaries  of  the  American 
Sunday  School  Union.  What  is  more  important,  there  is  much  promise 
that  the  trouble  can  be  reached  and  cured  by  the  modern  country  church 
movement,  which  is  already  making  real  progress  in  Ohio.  As  a  result 
of  this  movement,  for  example,  the  Board  of  Home  Missions  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has,  for  the  first  time,  appropriated  mis- 
sionary funds  to  be  used  in  this  section,  while  one  of  the  District  Superin- 
tendents of  the  same  denomination  is  carrying  out  a  radically  changed 
program  for  the  churches  under  his  supervision. 


Map  a 

WMERE  COhDlTlOnS  DCMAMD  Ml55IOrHARY  AlD 


26 


Map   I 

hiGM  Death  (5ate5  reoM  Tube:i5culo5i3 


27 


Map  2 
t~1iGt-i  Rates  or  Illcgitimacy 


tt^   I£le:9Timate  B11?TH5. 

AVERAGE  AMMUAL  RAT£  PER 
100,000    POPULATION    TOR. 
THE.  YEAR3  I909  AMD  ISO 
RATE  FOR  STATE      .43.9. 
I  LESS  THAN  43.9  PER  lOqpOO 


CI        TO   7S  PER  ttO|0« 


76       TO  SO  PER  lOO.O*  [ 
no       TO    130  PER  lOO.OOC 


28 


Map  3 
Whkrr  Tluteracy  Abounds 


PER  CENT  OF  lU-fTERATC 
MALES  OF  VOTINS  AGE, 
BY  COUNTIES. 
F»E;E  CEHT  for  TMC  ^fTATE,  -<«.. 
LCSS  TnAM  -W  PER  CCMT. 


V/////\        43  TO    89  PER  CEMT. 
\/^//\         SO  TO  73  PER  CEMT 

eo  TO"  as  TTX.  cettt. 

laO      TO   I  I.O  PER  CtHT 


29 


Map  4 

Dl5TI?lBUTIOM  OF  FOREIGN  Boi?N  WmiTE5 


PEBXEMT  OF    POPULATION 

WHO   WERE   rORElGM  BORN 
WI-IITES,  ACCORDING  TO 
THE  U.S.  CEMSUS   OF   I910. 
pen?  CENT  FDR  STATE,  12.5. 


LES5  THAN  B  PER  CENT. 
MORE.  THAN  9  P£X  CEMT. 


30 


Map  5 
ExcEissivE  Over-Cmurcmimg 


LESS  TMAM    200 


31 


Map  6 
Cmurcmeis  Many  but  Mimisteirs  Tew 


32 


Mai*  7 
MUMBER  OF  PCRSOnS  TD  A  RCSIDCMT  MlM\5TEK 


33 


Map  8 
Value  of  Farm  Property  in  the  Yrar  iqio 


34 


Map  q 

Imcrcase:  in  Vaujil  or  Tarm  Pkopcrty 


35 


M.\i'   10 


Rich  Lamo  ahd  Poor  Land. 


36 


PQ  u  o  ffi  K  ^hj  r^  ■«=i  ^  2:  p.  Pi  c/-.  > ; 


.  .s 

-I'll 


37 


38  SIX    THOUSAND    COUNTRY    CHURCHES 

JAHLE    B 

Showing  Calculated  Numbkr  of  Persons  who  Mickatkd  ikom  the  Rural  Districts 
OF  Sixteen  Counties  in  Soltheastern  Ohkj  1900-1910 

D.I,-       /  Excess  nf  r>  t.  i  ,•       r  i  ,  i  t.  t.  Calculated 

Populalton  of  ,-,,.  ,„'  Population  of  total  pop-  „„    >.«„„_, 

strktty  rural  '''f.Zf,  strictly  rural  ulationin  „Z  tZrlL 

toumships,  loio  ovcrdcati:        townships.  1900         1910  had  there        '"''""'^Z,^ 

'^"'^  '       been  no  migration      ^^°'^  '^'^ 

Total 61,418 

Adams 24,775 12.15 26,328 29,432 4,677 

Brown 24,832 4.93 28,237 30.241 5.409 

Clermont 29,551 3.81 31.610 33.377 3.826 

Gallia 19.S46 2.73 20,973 .•  -21,527 1,981 

Highland 17,382 4.22 19,504 20,283 2,901 

Hocking 16,934 12.72 19,183 21,380 4,446 

Jackson 10,996 12.47 12,009 i3,444 2,448 

Lawrence 23,202 14.83 24,644 28,192 4,990 

Meigs 16,162 1.96 18,961 19,306 3,144 

Monroe i9,94o 13  -  73 23,373 26,347 6,407 

Morgan 16,097 8.07 17,905 20,777 4,680 

Noble 18,601 11.28.  .. ' 19,466 21,613 3,012 

Pike 15,723 11.48 18,172 20,118 4,395 

Ross 22,460 5.6   25,758 25,893 3,433 

Vinton 13,096 9-4  i5,33o 15,464 2,368 

Washington 29,409 7.4  32,481 32,710 3,301 


THE    CHURCHES    IN    THE    EIGHTEEN    COUNTIES  39 

TABLIC    C 
Denominations  or  the  Churches  in  Eighteen  Counties  of  Southeastern  Ohio 

Churches  in  248  Other  rural  A  U  rural 

strictly  rural  townships  churches  churches 

Total 1,542 593 2,135 

Methodist  Episcojial 526 216 742 

United  Brethren 138 43 181 

Baptist 124 26 150 

Christian 97 13 no 

Presbyterian 96 40 136 

Disciples 87 39 126 

Methodist  Protestant 63 25 88 

Christian  Union 46 5 51 

Catholic 43 22 65 

Non-Progressive  Disci[)1es 28 3 31 

Radical  United  Brethren 26 4 30 

Lutheran 21 28 49 

Congregational 17 i 18 

Reformed 14 16 30 

Clerman  Evangelical 14 i 15 

United  Presbyterian 10 23 33 

Friends 10 21 31 

All  others 182 67 249 


CHAPTER  VI 


A   POLICY  AND   PROGRAM 


The  roots  of  the  religious  and  moral  life  of  the  Nation  are  chiefly  in  the 
country  church.  As  in  southeastern  Ohio,  so  in  any  area  where  the  church 
fails,  degeneracy  begins.  The  low  and  sordid  moral  atmosphere  found  in 
so  many  rural  villages  and  communities,  not  only  among  the  Eighteen 
Counties,  but  throughout  the  State  (and  far  beyond  the  boundaries  of 
Ohio)  is  altogether  unnecessary.  It  constitutes  a  challenge  to  the  church 
which  can  no  longer  go  unheeded.  Obviously,  whatever  reforms  in 
methods  and  policies  may  be  required  to  enable  it  efficiently  to  perform 
its  task  must  be  made. 

(i)  A  Better  Program 

One  of  the  chief  underlying  causes  of  the  present  condition  of  the 
churches  is  an  imperfect  conception  of  their  function.  We  recognize 
the  fact  that  the  effective  proclaiming  of  the  Gospel  is  the  essential  if 
not  the  greatest  and  most  important  task  of  the  churches,  but  the  im- 
pression is  still  very  widespread  in  the  Ohio  churches  that  to  preach  it 
from  pulpit  and  platform  is  ahnost  their  only  task.  That  this  is  not 
enough  to  bring  the  churches  to  their  full  effectiveness  has  been  conclu- 
sively proved  by  the  experience  of  foreign  missionaries  during  the  past 
hundred  years.  In  proportion  to  the  number  of  their  missionaries,  the 
missionary  societies  which  have  beheved  that  proclaiming  the  Christian 
message  is  the  only  function  of  the  church,  have  not  made  as  man}'  con- 
verts nor  built  up  as  strong  churches  as  those  which  engage  also  in  the 
work  of  healing  the  sick  and  teaching.    The  most  successful  missionary 

40 


A   POLICY   AND   PROGRAM  4I 

organizations  tcacli  not  only  Christian  life  and  theology,  but  all  that 
makes  for  what  is  best  in  our  Christian  civilization. 

The  welfare  of  a  man's  soul  may  be  increased  by  promoting  the  welfare 
of  the  rest  of  him,  and  the  aim  of  the  church  should  be  to  bring  every 
man  to  the  highest  possible  development  of  all  his  powers.  In  seeking 
to  do  so  it  will  not  only  be  more  effective  in  creating  a  higher  manhood 
and  womanhood,  but  will  also  make  its  message  better  understood  and 
secure  a  greater  number  of  church  members  and  adherents. 

For  our  city  churches  also  this  is  as  true  as  for  the  foreign  missionary 
field,  although  perhaps  less  obviously  so.  The  equipment  of  so  large  a 
number  of  modern  city  churches  for  various  forms  of  social  service  is  a 
strong  indication  that  those  who  control  their  policies  recognize  the 
necessity  of  a  more  diversified  field  of  work. 

The  success  and  growth  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  is  another  indication  of  the 
truth  for  which  we  are  contending.  This  institution  which  is  a  branch  or 
arm  of  the  Christian  church  has  declared  its  aim  to  be  the  development 
of  "soul,  mind,  and  body."  As  a  result  of  this  policy  it  is  now  engaged  in 
many  kinds  of  work  which  should  also  be  done  more  widely  and  generally 
and  so  on  a  greater  scale  throughout  the  church.  It  receives  large  con- 
tributions of  money  from  members  of  the  churches,  and  it  rightly  under- 
takes and  successfully  carries  out  large  enterprises  where  other  church 
organizations  fail  to  see  their  duties  and  opportunities  and  lag  behind  or 
remain  idle. 

Still  another  reason  for  believing  in  a  larger  function  and  mission  of  the 
churcti  is  found  in  the  fact  that  every  strikingly  successful  country  church 
is  found  to  be  deeply  concerned  -("ath  the  needs  of  the  community,  and  is 
carrying  out  a  broad  and  comprehensive  program  of  service.  This  is 
true  not  only  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  but  throughout  the  Nation.- 

Finally  and  conclusively,  it  may  be  added  that  the  broader  program 
was  instituted  and  carried  out  by  the  Founder  of  the  Christian  religion, 
and  was  by  Him  enjoined  upon  His  followers. 

What  the  new  program  for  the  local  country  church  should  be  is  no 


42  SIX    THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHCRCHES 

longer  a  matter  of  conjecture.  Countr}'  ministers  in  very  many  widely 
separated  parishes  of  the  United  States  have  worked  it  out  independently 
in  trying  to  meet  the  needs  of  their  communities,  and  have  everywhere 
reached  substantially  the  same  conclusion.  The  program  is  essentially 
the  same  in  all  places  where  the  most  successful  country  church  work  is 
done.  It  has  found  an  embodiment  in  the  mass  of  country  church  litera- 
ture which  has  been  pubhshed  during  the  past  eight  years,  and  it  has  been 
studied,  tried,  and  proved  to  meet  the  need  of  large  numbers  of  country 
pastors  in  Ohio  and  in  many  of  the  other  States.  How  it  has  been  carried 
out  in  some  Ohio  parishes  is  described  in  Chapter  VIII,  pages  75-87. 

(2)  A  Better  Ministry 

To  carry  out  the  better  program  for  the  local  country  church  requires 
an  educated  ministry.  Ohio  has  suffered  greatly  from  ministerial  quack- 
ery. Very  imperfectly  equipped  ministers,  such  as  are  found  in  nearly 
every  county  of  the  State,  and  unsound  ignorant  men,  such  as  are  so 
common  in  the  Eighteen  Counties,  cannot  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
new  program.  Doubtless  the  educational  requirements  of  the  discipline 
of  many  of  the  denominations  are  set  too  low,  but  even  so,  if  the  rules  of 
the  discipHne  were  strictly  obeyed,  a  large  proportion  of  the  present 
ministers  would  be  eliminated.  The  new  program  requires  trained 
men. 

To  get  better  men,  better  opportunity  and  better  pay  must  be  sup- 
plied. Fields  of  service  must  be  created  large  enough,  yet  sufficiently 
compact  and  free  from  competing  rivals,  to  make  good  work  possible. 
The  farmers  must  be  convinced  that  better  support  of  the  ministry  is 
essential,  in  their  own  interest.  At  the  same  time  the  best  young  men 
of  the  churches  must  be  assured  that  the  new  program  offers  a  field  so 
promising  as  to  make  it  worth  their  while  to  enter  the  ministry.  The 
churches  are  wise  enough  and  strong  enough  to  do  all  this  if  they  will 
address  themselves  to  the  situation  and  take  it  seriously. 


A   POLICY   AND   PROGRAM  43 

(3)  Bellcr  Support 

In  a  large  part  of  Ohio  the  farmers  are  able  and  ready  to  multiply  the 
amount  of  money  they  now  contribute  for  the  support  of  the  churches. 
When  it  is  made  clear  to  them  that  better  pay  will  bring  a  better  minister, 
increased  support  will  cheerfully  be  given.  But  the  farmers  will  not  give 
more  money  either  for  the  support  of  an  inferior  minister,  or  to  carry  out 
the  old  program.  They  will  demand  their  money's  worth,  and  this  the 
present  methods  do  not,  in  general,  supply.  The  increased  prosperity  and 
consequent  ability  of  the  farmers  to  support  the  church  more  liberally  is 
indicated  by  the  fact  that  the  total  value  of  farm  property  in  Ohio  in- 
creased nearly  60  per  cent  during  the  ten-year  period  from  1900  to  19 10. 

But  it  must  be  remembered  that  increased  support  will  not  be  given 
by  the  farmers  unless  the  need  for  it,  and  what  it  will  bring,  is  brought 
forcefully  to  their  attention.  This  the  individual  minister  cannot  do,  for 
to  attempt  it  lays  him  open  to  the  charge  of  feathering  his  own  nest.  It 
should  be  done  by  a  State  Federation  of  Churches  or  by  such  organiza- 
tions as  The  Ohio  Rural  Life  Association,  acting  through  its  own  insti- 
tutes and  the  farmers'  institutes,  through  the  circulation  of  its  Hterature, 
and  through  the  formation  of  organizations  for  this  purpose  in  the 
churches  of  the  different  counties.  No  matter  how  good  work  a  minister 
may  do,  ordinarily  he  will  not  be  adequately  supported  unless  some 
special  agency  does  this  work. 

(4)  Better  Acquaintance 

The  present  system  of  circuits  entails  upon  the  country  minister  an 
enormous  waste  of  time.  If  a  man  tries  to  do  the  pastoral  work  which  is 
strictly  necessary,  he  must  spend  a  very  large  proportion  of  his  working 
hours  in  driving  to  the  widely  separated  points  of  his  various  parishes, 
crossing  and  recrossing  as  he  goes  the  Unes  of  travel  of  other  ministers 
engaged  in  the  same  territory  upon  the  same  work.  That  the  country 
minister  should  be  called  upon  to  waste  so  large  a  part  of  his  life  in  this 


44  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

way  is  shameful  because  it  is  bad  and  inefficient  organization,  and  carries 
with  it  an  utterly  needless  loss. 

To  understand  the  significance  of  pastoral  calling  in  a  rural  community 
it  must  be  remembered  that  isolation  is  as  characteristic  of  the  country 
as  congestion  is  of  the  cities.  A  large  proportion  of  rural  families  look 
upon  a  minister  who  calls  frequently  as  a  personal  asset  of  great  value. 
He  supplies  opportunities  not  otherwise  available  for  the  discussion  of 
matters  of  general  interest  or  of  deep  personal  concern.  He  calls  atten- 
tion to  the  things  otherwise  forgotten,  and  brings,  or  should  bring  with 
him,  the  inestimable  advantage  of  intimate  contact  with  a  wise  and  well- 
trained  mind.  Moreover,  a  man  full  of  good  will  to  all  going  from  house 
to  house,  sympathetically  trying  to  help  and  understand,  will  inevitably 
modify  the  uncharitable  and  unjust  public  opinion  which  either  exists 
or  is  believed  to  exist  in  most  rural  communities. 

Equally  effective  are  the  incidental  contacts  of  a  minister  engaged  in 
community  service,  such  as  work  with  boys,  or  the  promotion  of  welfare 
enterprises.  Thus  engaged  he  will  inevitably  get  in  touch  with  his 
parishioners,  and  supply  the  needs  of  individuals  and  of  the  community, 
at  least  as  fully  as  the  minister  who  devotes  most  of  his  working  hours  to 
pastoral  calls.  In  such  work  less  time  is  spent  in  the  long  drives  or  walks 
between  houses  which  are  necessary  in  systematic  calling,  while  the 
minister  gets  to  know  the  men  better  and  bothers  them  less. 

Without  pastoral  calling  and  community  welfare  work,  the  country 
minister's  service  is  sure  to  be  ineffective.  But  as  a  matter  of  fact  the 
country  ministers  of  Ohio  for  the  most  part  do  very  little  of  either.  The 
country  people  as  a  rule,  receive  very  few  pastoral  calls,  according  to  the 
almost  universal  testimony  of  the  country  ministers  themselves  as  well 
as  that  of  other  persons  who  live  in  the  country.  In  Delaware  County, 
for  example,  a  prosperous  county  in  the  center  of  the  State,  there  is  an 
area  of  82  square  miles,  with  more  than  2,100  people,  in  which  only  one 
minister  makes  any  pastoral  calls,  and  he  makes  very  few.  Half  the 
townships  of  this  county  have  no  resident  ministers. 


A   POLICY   AND   PROGRAM  45 

Mr.  Gill  found  one  township  in  the  north-central  section  of  the  State 
in  which  the  farmers'  famihes  probably  had  not  been  called  on  once  in 
five  years.  One  woman  had  not  received  a  call  from  a  minister  in  twelve 
years.  When  finally  called  upon  she  became  a  regular  and  happy  church 
attendant,  though  she  had  not  been  to  church  since  her  childhood. 
Another  family  was  found  in  the  same  region  whose  house  no  minister 
had  entered  for  nineteen  years.  In  an  Ohio  River  township,  the  mem- 
bers of  a  family  testified  that  a  minister  had  not  called  on  them  for 
twenty-five  years,  and  still  others  asserted  that  no  minister  had  ever 
entered  their  homes.  From  the  reports  of  eighteen  pastors  in  one  denom- 
inational district  it  appeared  that  on  an  average  each  one  made  only  six 
calls  a  year  upon  non-church  members,  although  these  were  more  than 
60  per  cent  of  the  people.  "Our  minister  does  not  know  the  people  of 
this  community"  is  common  testimony  everywhere  in  the  country 
parishes. 

The  country  minister's  influence  is  still  further  reduced  because  his 
term  of  service  is  short — usually  but  a  year  or  two,  rarely  three  years. 
Moreover,  his  efforts  are  commonly  divided  among  several  communities 
and  thus  are  spread  too  thin  to  produce  results.  Add  to  that  the  fact  that 
in  each  community  the  people  whom  he  serves  are  intermingled  with  the 
parishioners  of  ministers  of  other  denominations.  Under  these  circum- 
stances how  can  he  become  efficient  in  community  service,  and  how  can 
he  get  to  know  the  people  of  his  charge?  Ordinarily  he  does  not  even 
attempt  it.  Under  present  conditions  the  country  minister  who  does, 
generally  accompHshes  little  and  wears  himself  into  discouragement. 

(5)  Rearrangement  of  Circuits 

The  old  circuit  system  under  which  many  of  the  denominations  devel- 
oped their  work  and  which  is  now  the  system  employed  in  nearly  all  the 
larger  denominations  in  the  State,  was  of  undoubted  value  in  the  begin- 
ning of  their  work  in  pioneer  days.    But  like  many  other  efi&cient  methods 


46  SEX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

of  early  times  it  has  ceased  to  be  the  best  method  for  present  needs,  in 
the  form  in  which  we  now  find  it  at  work.  This  is  true  except  in  a  few 
instances  where  it  appears  in  such  a  modified  form  as  to  be  adaptable  to 
present  conditions. 

Under  the  circuit  system  it  has  often  been  accepted  as  a  policy  b}' 
church  officials  that  every  church  must  have  a  minister  and  every  minister 
a  church.  The  advantages  accruing  both  to  the  churches  and  ministers 
from  a  reasonably  cautious  and  not  too  consistent  apphcation  of  such  a 
rule  are  obvious.  But  failure  to  use  such  caution  and  too  great  insistence 
on  its  universal  application  too  often  have-  resulted  in  the  emplo^-ment 
of  unequipped  and  uneducated  ministers  and  sometimes  even  of  men 
whose  character  was  questionable,  which  in  turn,  has  helped  to  bring 
about  a  low  standard  of  pay  for  the  minister.  The  pay  of  the  skilled  has 
fallen  to  that  of  the  unskilled,  and  the  total  result  has  been  to  cheapen  the 
ministry.  The  standard  among  farmers  for  the  support  of  both  church 
and  minister,  therefore,  has  fallen  low.  We  must  have  a  greatly  modified 
system  or  a  better  system  before  the  ministry  can  be  better  paid. 

Under  the  circuit  system  as  now  applied  in  Ohio  the  churches  too  often 
provide  for  but  little  else  than  preaching.  Even  the  Sunday  school, 
one  of  the  most  hopeful  and  valuable  kinds  of  church  work,  is  hampered 
by  it,  for  this  work  needs  the  leadership  of  a  trained  ministry,  which  the 
present  circuit  system  tends  to  prevent.  The  minister  with  a  circuit 
can  rarely  attend  the  services  of  his  Sunday  schools,  and  the  task  of 
promoting  the  Sunday  school  work  during  the  week  in  the  several  com- 
munities of  his  charge  is  usually  too  arduous  for  him. 

In  times  past  it  has  been  held  commendable  for  a  denomination  to 
establish  one  of  its  churches  in  every  community,  regardless  of  the  nmnber 
of  churches  already  there.  By  making  use  of  the  present  circuit  system, 
it  has  been  possible  to  estabhsh  and  after  a  fashion  to  maintain  a  church 
almost  anywhere.  Hence  the  present  unfortunate  multiplication  of 
churches. 

When  rural  communities  are  overchurched,  as  under  the  working  of 


A   POLICY   AND   PROGRAM  47 

this  plan  in  Ohio  most  of  them  are,  competition  between  them  necessarily 
results  not  in  the  survival  of  the  fit,  but  in  the  continued  existence  of  an 
excessive  number  of  bloodless,  moribund  churches,  whose  energies  are 
almost  entirely  exhausted  in  the  mere  effort  to  keep  alive. 

When  the  circuit  system  is  adopted  by  more  than  one  competing  de- 
nomination in  a  field  as  it  is  in  Ohio  it  helps  to  perpetuate  interchurch 
competition.  When  one  adopts  it  all  others  must,  or  retire  from  the  field. 
It  cannot  be  held  that  the  resulting  competition  helps  to  make  more 
Christians,  or  that  it  tends  to  develop  character  or  community  Ufe.  On 
the  contrary,  it  reduces  both  the  power  of  the  church  as  a  whole  and  the 
influence  of  the  individual  churches  for  personal  righteousness  and  com- 
munity welfare.  Then,  as  the  churches  under  the  competitive  system 
grow  weaker,  they  must  be  yoked  in  larger  circuits.  So  far  has  the 
practice  gone  that  in  one  circuit  in  Ohio  there  are  actually  ten 
churches. 

A  variation  of  this  system  is  found  in  certain  Holy  Roller  churches 
where  an  undefined  number  of  churches  together  depend  for  their  leader- 
ship on  a  group  of  itinerant  revivalists.  Frequent  or  occasional  seasons  of 
revival  services  often  constitute  the  sole  activity  of  these  churches,  yet 
because  of  the  weakness  of  the  latter  they  are  succeeding  or  have  suc- 
ceeded in  crowding  out  many  churches  of  the  older  denominations. 
There  is  a  clear  instance  of  this  in  the  western  half  of  Pike  County,  where 
nearly  all  the  churches  are  abandoned  excepting  those  of  the  Holy 
Rollers — a  striking  example  of  reverse  selection  or  the  survival  of  the 
unfit. 

The  movement  for  the  conservation  and  improvement  of  rural  life  has 
no  greater  enemy  than  the  misused  circuit  system.  Not  only  does  it 
weaken  the  churches,  but  it  necessarily  discourages  the  development  of 
the  community  and  of  community  life.  With  his  efforts  divided  among 
three  or  more  different  communities,  his  parishioners  mingled  with  mem- 
bers of  competing  churches,  the  country  minister  cannot  hope  for  the 
cooperation  necessary  to  effective  leadership.    His  success  in  any  work 


48  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

for  the  community,  because  it  would  add  prestige  to  his  church,  as  a  rule 
is  not  desired  by  the  members  of  other  denominations.  The  entire  cir- 
cuit situation  as  it  works  to-day  in  the  region  here  under  investigation 
whatever  may  be  its  value  elsewhere  tends  to  make  the  modern  program 
of  successful  churches  entirely  impracticable. 

Escape  from  the  deadening  environment  of  the  country  church  circuit 
is  the  ardent  desire  of  most  country  ministers  who  have  had  any  reason- 
able degree  of  equipment  for  their  vocation,  and  self-improvement  as  a 
preacher  seems  to  be  the  only  way  out.  The  circuit  minister  of  such 
equipment  naturally  regards  his  present  work  as  temporary.  He  looks 
forward  to  leaving  the  country  through  promotion  to  a  town  church. 
The  city,  where  he  hopes  to  be,  and  not  the  country,  where  he  is,  becomes 
for  him  the  only  field  for  success  in  the  ministry. 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  country  parishes  to  be  successful  must  be 
more  compact.  As  a  substitute  for  the  circuit,  churches  in  a  small  com- 
munity where  there  are  too  many  should  be  united  in  the  support  of  one 
resident  minister.  If  they  cannot  support  him,  then  other  adjacent 
churches  should  join  with  them  in  a  federated  circuit  under  a  single 
pastor.    Such  is  the  right  use  of  the  circuit  in  the  country. 

The  territory  thus  placed  under  one  minister  may  be  so  large  as  to 
make  it  desirable  to  employ  a  paid  assistant  to  the  pastor.  Freed  from 
the  necessity  of  long  drives  to  other  communities,  the  pastor  can  make 
many  calls  nearer  home.  Community  enterprises,  under  this  system  made 
possible,  will  bring  the  pastor  into  personal  touch  with  the  people.  He 
will  become  their  friend  and  they  will  wish  him  a  long  term  of  service 
among  them.  And  only  when  a  minister  has  been  two  or  three  years  in  a 
community  can  he  begin  to  render  his  most  effective  service.  The  en- 
larged and  unified  parish,  such  as  that  of  Benzonia,  Michigan,  or  Han- 
over, New  Jersey,  should  be  carefully  distinguished  from  the  misused 
circuit,  which  now  plays  so  significant  a  part  in  the  church  life  of  Ohio. 
Parishes  like  these  afford  all  the  benefits  of  the  circuit  with  none  of  itJi 
defects. 


-Map 


49 


50  SIX    THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

(6)  More  Resident  Ministers 

While  the  preaching  of  a  good  pastor  is  an  indispensable  factor  in  the 
individual  development  of  his  parishioners  and  in  the  progress  of  com- 
munity life,  that  of  the  non-resident  is  by  comparison  of  little  value.  It  is 
shooting  in  the  air  without  seeing  the  target,  like  the  fire  of  artillery 
without  the  aid  of  air  scouts.  There  is  no  greater  force  for  righteousness 
in  a  country  community  than  a  church  with  a  resident  minister,  well 
educated,  well  equipped,  wisely  selected,  whose  term  of  service  is  not  too 
short.  The  church  is  the  only  institution  which  can  hope  to  employ  a 
man  of  this  type  to  give  his  whole  time,  as  a  minister  can,  to  the  service 
of  his  community. 

The  right  kind  of  resident  minister  will  have  a  strong  and  intelligent 
desire  to  secure  opportunities  for  the  best  development  of  his  children 
and  to  create  a  favorable  environment  for  them.  He  will  therefore  take  a 
keen  interest  in  the  schools,  in  the  establishing  of  libraries,  in  play  and 
social  life,  in  keeping  out  evil  influences  and  promoting  general  decency. 
He  may  fairly  expect  to  see  the  fruits  of  his  labor,  and  will  be  all  the  more 
likely  on  that  account  to  become  interested  in  the  economic  betterment 
of  the  community.  Such  a  man  will  stimulate  it  and  help  it  to  make 
use  of  all  available  means  to  further  the  general  welfare.  A  church 
with  such  a  pastor  is  community  insurance  against  degeneracy  and 
decay. 

One  of  the  most  striking  examples  of  the  service  of  a  resident  minister 
during  a  long  pastorate  is  found  in  the  life  of  the  well-known  John  Fred- 
erick OberUn,  a  free  biography  of  whom  has  recently  been  made  available 
to  all  country  ministers.  Large  numbers  of  modern  examples  may  also 
readily  be  found.    One  is  given  on  pages  77-80  of  this  report. 

There  are  few  more  deplorable  wastes  than  that  of  the  church  in  the  use 
of  its  rural  ministry.  This  waste  alone  is  enough  to  account  for  much  of 
the  decline  in  country  life,  because  under  the  present  system  only  a  small 
fraction  of  the  normal  influence  of  the  minislr\'  can  be  exerted.    And  it  is 


A  POLICY   AND   PROGRAM  5I 

a  needless  waste,  for  it  is  fully  within  the  power  of  the  churches  through 
their  officials  to  correct  it.  The  minister  must  be  given  a  field  of  such  a 
character  that  it  is  possible  for  him  to  do  his  work,  and  he  must  be  given 
that  adequate  support  which  proper  church  administration  can  most 
assuredly  secure  for  him.  Only  when  these  readjustments  have  been 
made  will  it  be  fair  and  right  to  appeal  to  the  young  men  of  education  and 
ability  to  enter  the  rural  ministry,  and  stay  in  it. 

The  thing  can  be  done.  We  have  in  mind  a  rural  township  with  less 
than  2,000  inhabitants,  lying  in  a  hill  country,  which  has  six  resident 
ministers  in  its  five  villages,  while  the  term  of  service  of  the  minister  of 
each  of  the  parishes  is  nearly  always  long.  To  establish  at  least  one 
resident  minister  in  every  township  is  not  too  high  an  aim.  The  people 
can  and  should  be  brought  to  understand  that  the  value  of  a  successful 
minister  rises  in  increasing  proportion  with  his  knowledge  of  the  com- 
munity and  the  length  of  his  service. 

(7)  Inter  church  Cooperation 

To  substitute  cooperation  for  competition  is  an  essential  condition  of 
rural  church  progress,  at  least  in  Ohio.  Whenever  the  new  program  is 
adopted  by  a  community  it  will  discover  that  interchurch  competition  is 
hostile  to  community  prosperity.  Many  rural  communities  already  know 
that  interchurch  cooperation  is  desirable.  But  the  great  question  is  how 
to  secure  it.  Nearly  every  community  is  aware  that  it  has  too  many 
churches,  but  the  task  of  reducing  the  number  or  securing  interchurch 
comity  is  a  problem  beset  with  difficulties.  These  difficulties,  however, 
are  by  no  means  insuperable.  Many  communities  have  already  found 
ways  to  overcome  them. 

In  every  community  which  really  requires  more  than  one  church  or 
pastor,  there  should  be  a  federation  of  churches;  that  is,  a  joint  committee 
of  pastors  and  delegates  officially  appointed  by  the  several  churches  to 
learn  and  meet  the  needs,  religious,  or  social,  which  require  concerted 


52  SIX   tHOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHUkCHES 

action.  While  such  federations,  which  are  carefuJly  to  be  distinguished 
from  federated  churches,  are  common  in  our  cities,  comparatively  few  are 
found  in  the  country.  One  of  these  is  in  Shiloh,  Ohio,  a  description  of 
which  may  be  found  on  page  75.  There  appear  to  be  no  very  great 
difhculties  in  the  way  of  bringing  such  federations  about. 

In  communities  whose  compactness  permits,  and  whose  population 
and  resources  require,  that  there  should  be  only  one  congregation  and 
pastor,  but  where  two  or  more  churches  already  exist,  the  churches 
clearly  should  either  be  united  organically  in  a  single  denominational 
church,  or  a  federated  church  should  be  formed.  Descriptions  of  fed- 
erated churches  may  be  found  on  pages  59-69. 

In  a  township  or  community  where  population  and  resources  are 
inadequate  to  support  more  than  one  pastor,  but  where  the  population 
is  so  distributed  that  more  than  one  place  of  worship  and  organized  church 
are  required,  a  federated  circuit  may  well  be  formed  and  a  common 
pastor  be  employed.  In  such  case  the  several  churches  should  be  officially 
represented  by  a  joint  committee  which  would  act  for  the  circuit  not  only 
in  employing  the  common  pastor,  but  also  in  learning  and  meeting  all  the 
religious  and  social  needs  which  require  concerted  church  action. 

In  securing  pastors  and  in  other  matters  where  assistance  is  needed, 
the  local  federated  churches  and  federated  circuits  should  be  aided  by 
the  State  Federation  of  Churches  if  there  is  one,  and  if  not  by  such  bodies 
as  the  Committee  of  Interchurch  Cooperation  of  the  Ohio  Rural  Life 
Association.  Both  Federation  and  Association  are  necessary  for  other 
purposes,  and  therefore  no  ground  whatever  exists  for  the  objection  some- 
times made  that  federated  churches  will  require  the  formation  of  new 
organizations  to  supervise  them. 

While  it  is  true  that  an  uneducated  minister  ordinarily  cannot  satisfy 
the  people  of  various  denominations,  and  that  usually  he  is  sectarian  in 
his  thinking  and  point  of  view,  it  is  equally  true  that  where  a  well-edu- 
cated man  is  pastor,  the  needs  of  the  people  of  various  denominations  can 
easily  be  met  and  church  unity  be  made  possiljle. 


A   POLICY   AND   PROGRAM  53 

(8)  Conununily  Churches 

The  most  successful  rural  church  is  the  community  church.  Its  mem- 
bers work  chiefly  not  for  the  church  itself,  but  for  the  community.  Its 
ambition  is  to  serve  every  person  in  its  neighborhood,  to  create  an  en- 
vironment favorable  to  the  highest  possible  development  of  every  person 
in  the  neighborhood,  and  to  stimulate  other  organizations  and  persons  to 
serve  the  community  in  every  possible  way.  It  is  conceivable  that  there 
might  be  more  than  one  such  church  in  a  neighborhood,  but  in  this  dis- 
cussion it  is  assumed  that  a  community  church  is  the  only  church  in  the 
community,  for  by  far  the  larger  number  of  rural  communities  in  Ohio 
should  have  but  one  church.  Since,  on  an  average,  there  are  five  churches 
in  a  township  and  only  1,448  persons,  the  formation  of  community 
churches  is  evidently  both  advisable  and  important. 

The  community  church  may  be  a  denominational  church  or  a  federated 
church.  It  is  the  judgment  of  most  of  the  denominational  officials  who 
are  members  of  the  Committee  of  Interchurch  Cooperation  of  the  Ohio 
Rural  Life  Association  that  wherever  possible  churches  should  be  united 
in  one  denominational  church  through  the  reciprocal  exchange  and 
elimination  of  small  churches  by  the  denominational  organizations.  In 
such  an  exchange  church  members  of  denomination  A  would  imite  with 
the  church  of  denomination  B  in  community  M,  while  members  of  de- 
nomination B  would  unite  with  the  church  of  denomination  A  in  com- 
munity N,  and  so  on.  A  number  of  such  exchanges  have  been  made,  and 
so  far  as  can  be  learned,  they  have  worked  well.  But  the  members  of  the 
small  churches  frequently  refuse  to  carry  out  this  plan.  They  often  care 
more  for  their  local  church  than  for  their  denomination,  and  are  not  will- 
ing that  their  own  church  organization  should  be  destroyed.  While 
such  exchanges  will  doubtless  continue  to  be  made  from  time  to  time,  it  is 
unlikely  that  rapid  progress  will  be  achieved  by  this  method  alone. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  members  of  a  local  community  are  usually 
ready  to  form  a  federated  church  when  they  understand  it.     This  has 


54  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

been  done  in  Northfield,  Aurora,  Wayland,  Olmstead  Falls,  Milford 
Centre  and  Huntington,  in  Greene  Township,  Trumbull  County,  and  in 
many  other  communities.  A  description  of  some  of  them  may  be  found 
on  pages  60-69.  If  the  officials  and  superintendents  of  the  church 
should  become  as  favorable  to  the  formation  of  federated  churches  as 
they  are  to  exchange  between  denominations,  and  should  actively  further 
the  movement,  they  could  without  question  bring  about  the  unification 
of  the  churches  in  very  large  numbers  of  communities  which  stand  greatly 
in  need  of  it. 

Here  then  we  have  two  possible  methods  of  uniting  the  Christian 
people  in  the  rural  communities.  One  of  them — denominational  ex- 
change— is  favored  by  the  officials  but  often  opposed  by  the  people  in 
the  churches.  The  other — the  federated  church — is  favored  by  the 
people  in  the  churches  and  opposed  by  many  of  the  officials. 

It  is  our  contention  that  in  the  majority  of  cases  the  method  preferred 
by  the  people  is  more  desirable  than  that  preferred  by  the  officials.  For  a 
man  to  leave  his  own  denomination  and  unite  with  another  often  involves 
action  against  the  conscience.  In  some  of  the  denominations,  for  exam- 
ple, the  members  have  been  trained  to  think  it  undesirable  to  subscribe 
to  a  creed.  But  creed  subscription  is  required  by  the  churches  of  many 
of  the  denominations  as  a  condition  of  membership.  In  such  cases  the 
church  officials  may  properly  hesitate  to  urge  a  part  of  the  people  to  do 
what  they  beheve  is  not  right. 

Another  reason  which  often  makes  it  impossible  for  the  church  member 
of  one  denomination  to  unite  with  the  church  of  another  is  a  tempera- 
mental distaste  for  the  idea  of  submission  to  some  special  system  of 
discipHne.  To  all  Protestants  this  is  clear  so  far  as  the  Catholic  Church  is 
concerned.  To  many  it  is  just  as  clear  in  relation  to  some  of  the  Protes- 
tant bodies. 

The  official  objections  to  the  formation  of  federated  churches  involve  no 
questions  of  moral  principle,  but  merely  those  of  expediency  and  the 
smooth  running  of  existing  ecclesiastical  machinery.    It  is  held  by  certain 


A    POLICY   AND   PROGRAM  55 

officials  that  the  federated  church  tends  to  promote  autonomy  in  the 
local  congregations,  and  that  it  will  impair  the  authority  of  the  denomina- 
tion. But  this  increase  of  autonomy  has  already  taken  place  in  the  city 
churches,  which,  as  a  matter  of  practice,  whatever  the  denominational 
theory  may  be,  manage  their  own  affairs.  There  is  here  no  loss  to  the 
denomination,  nor  is  there  likely  to  be  when  the  country  churches  are 
strengthened  by  federation. 

In  the  long  run  the  officials  who  now  entertain  objections  to  the  fed- 
erated church  will  doubtless  not  permit  them  to  stand  in  the  way  of  rural 
church  progress.  Particularly  will  this  be  true  when  a  minister  of  their 
own  denomination  is  to  be  made  pastor  of  the  federated  church.  It  would 
seem  wise,  therefore,  for  the  denominational  authorities  to  agree  that 
when  federated  churches  are  formed  the  choice  of  pastors  should  be 
made,  so  far  as  possible,  on  the  basis  of  interdenominational  reciprocity. 

In  view  of  the  urgent  needs  of  the  rural  communities,  as  a  rule,  those 
methods  should  be  adopted  which  are  most  acceptable  to  the  local  people 
whose  interests  are  involved.  When  the  people  of  a  community  come  to 
desire  united  Christian  action  in  promoting  community  welfare,  their 
zeal  will  usually  be  strong  enough  to  overcome  the  difficulties  in  the  way. 
But  this  desirable  consummation  is  greatly  retarded  where  opposition  is 
made  by  the  denomination  or  its  officials.  Until  the  church  officials  and 
denominations  are  able  to  propose  some  other  practicable  plan  for  the 
readjustment  of  church  Hfe  to  community  welfare,  a  plan  which  can  be 
carried  out,  the  demands  of  the  situation  certainly  require  them  to  help 
rather  than  hinder  the  movement  for  the  formation  of  federated  churches 
In  any  event  they  will  not  be  able  to  stop  it. 

In  the  investigation  striking  cases  were  found  of  denominational  officials 
opposing  Christian  unity  in  the  mistaken  behef  that  they  were  acting  in 
accord  with  the  sentiment  of  their  denominations. 

It  has  been  reported  to  us  that  a  certain  denominational  official  has 
tried  in  ten  different  communities  to  prevent  interchurch  cooperation, 
although  the  local  churches  and  the  local  people  were  for  it.    It  might 


56  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

in  charity  be  contended  that  in  nine  of  these  it  was  not  Christian  coopera- 
tion itself  that  was  opposed,  but  rather  the  form  of  cooperation  embodied 
in  a  federated  church.  But  in  the  tenth  community  it  was  clearly  Chris- 
tian cooperation  and  not  the  form  of  it  to  which  this  official  was  hostile, 
for  the  people  of  the  two  local  churches  were  merely  meeting  together, 
in  union  services  on  Sunday  evenings,  and  for  an  occasional  conmiunion 
service.  No  federation  or  organic  union  was  contemplated.  But  the  old 
minister  was  removed,  and  a  new  minister  was  sent  to  the  field  with 
definite  instructions  to  break  up  what  unity  there  was.  These  instruc- 
tions he  carried  out  so  thoroughly  that  the  Christian  forces  in  the  com- 
munity were  greatly  reduced  in  effectiveness. 

In  another  community  an  official  persistently  tried  to  prevent  the 
formation  of  a  federated  church,  although  himself  acknowledging  that 
he  sincerely  believed  it  was  the  very  best  thing  that  could  be  done  for 
the  local  people.  From  two  other  communities  it  was  reported  that  this 
same  official  was  the  only  obstacle  in  the  way  of  Christian  unity.  It  is 
entirely  probable  that  in  many  other  communities  these  denomina- 
tional officials  have  opposed  Christian  cooperation,  for  only  incidentally 
did  the  authors  hear  of  the  cases  reported. 

(9)  Nonsectarian  Support 

To  give  strength  to  the  movement  for  interchurch  cooperation,  a 
strong  interdenominational  or  undenominational  backing  is  needed.  On 
the  part  of  the  higher  leaders  and  officials  there  is  no  lack  of  genuine 
desire  to  further  interchurch  cooperation.  The  same  desire  is  shared  by 
very  large  numbers  of  the  younger  ministers  who  are  properly  trained  for 
their  calling,  and  by  many  older  ministers  also.  The  movement,  how- 
ever, is  often  halted  because  of  a  feeling  that  somewhere  in  the  denomina- 
tion there  is  a  strong  sentiment  against  it. 

Faintheartedness  is  the  greatest  obstacle  to  cooperation  between 
churches  at  the  present  time.     Numbers  of  actual  instances  could  l)e 


A   POTJCY    AND    PROGRAM  57 

given  if  it  were  proper  to  do  so.  What  is  needed,  therefore,  is  an  active 
movement  between  or  outside  of  the  denominations,  to  strengthen  those 
officials  who  hesitate  to  promote  interchurch  cooperation.  Such  a  move- 
ment would  finally  reveal  the  fact  that  the  prevailing  sentiment  in  the 
denominations  is  really  in  favor  of  cooperation  and  not  against  it,  and 
many  who  now  oppose  it  or  refuse  to  help  would  become  most  valuable 
agents  in  promoting  it. 

It  must  not  be  assumed  that  the  day  of  denominations  is  past.  Al- 
though, as  between  most  of  the  denominations,  theological  differences  no 
longer  exist,  and  other  differences  between  many  of  them  are  small, 
denominational  feeling  is  still  dominant.  The  slight  differences  loom 
large.  Denominational  officials  for  the  most  part  feel  that  their  chief 
duty  is  to  their  denomination,  from  which  they  hold  their  official  power; 
and  this  duty  is  very  absorbing.  Hence  it  is  often  most  difficult  to  gain 
support  from  denominational  authorities  and  churches  for  interdenomina- 
tional projects. 

Moreover,  the  direction  of  interdenominational  organization,  at  the 
present  time,  is  largely  in  the  hands  of  men  who  are  responsible  for  de- 
nominational interests,  or  the  interests  of  other  organizations  which 
require  their  wholehearted  and  undivided  support.  While  the  coopera- 
tion and  combined  judgment  of  such  men  is  invaluable  in  the  wise  direc- 
tion of  interdenominational  projects,  in  Ohio  they  fail  as  a  driving  force. 
This  is  now  the  chief  cause  of  weakness  in  the  interdenominational  move- 
ment for  church  and  country  life  in  the  State. 

Both  the  work  for  the  country  church  and  for  the  promoting  of  rural 
business  are  rendered  ineffective  by  lack  of  pecuniary  support.  In  spite 
of  this,  however,  plans  for  progressive  work  both  for  rural  business  and 
rural  church  are  well  developed,  and  have  been  tested;  and  moreover, 
the  feasibility  of  progress  in  both  these  lines  of  endeavor  has  been  thor- 
oughly proved.  Two  things,  then,  are  now  required.  These  are  funds  and 
federated  or  independent  direction  of  their  use. 

W^e  may  well  expect  that  adequate  funds  will  be  given  for  carrying  on 


58  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

this  work  in  the  years  immediately  following  the  war.  After  the  sacrifices 
of  war  those  of  peace  by  comparison  will  not  seem  large — while  the 
sacrifices  of  both  peace  and  war  are  equally  necessary  for  the  realization 
of  the  high  ideals  which  as  Americans  we  cherish. 

This  war  as  nothing  else  has  done,  has  caused  men  in  general  to  realize 
that  there  are  tasks  for  all  other  than  the  commercial  enterprises  of  the 
day,  and  that  Cach  of  us  must  accept  his  share  of  the  responsibility  for 
their  performance.  What  is  worth  fighting  for  during  the  war  is  worth 
working  for  after  the  war. 


CHAPTER  VII 


FEDERATED   CHURCHES 


There  are  many  niral  communities  in  Ohio  where  the  churches  exert  a 
vital  influence  in  community  life,  and  where  farm  life  succeeds  in  holding 
families  of  moral,  intellectual,  and  physical  vigor.  In  some  instances  the 
communities  and  their  churches  have  not  been  seriously  affected  by  the 
modern  conditions  and  tendencies  which  elsewhere  are  acting  unfavora- 
bly upon  the  country  church  and  country  life.  In  other  instances,  in- 
telligent leadership  on  the  part  of  the  ministers  has  overcome  these  condi- 
tions. Many  of  these  ministers  highly  appreciate  the  help  they  have 
received  from  the  modern  country  church  movement,  while  not  a  few 
have  testified  that  without  it  they  would  have  failed. 

In  a  very  large  part  of  rural  Ohio  the  need  of  interchurch  cooperation 
is  keenly  realized.  In  the  divided  communities  the  people,  for  the  most 
part,  want  to  get  together,  but  they  do  not  know  how.  But  in  many 
communities  practical  methods  have  been  found  and  tested,  and  by  these 
methods  Christian  cooperation  has  been  brought  to  pass  and  the  rural 
church  conditions  have  been  greatly  improved.  For  that  reason  de- 
scriptions of  actual  successful  cases  of  interchurch  cooperation  are  here 
supplied.  These  examples  are  intended  to  include  federated  churches, 
church  federations,  and  denominational  union  churches,  as  well  as  certain 
striking  cases  of  the  work  of  the  church  in  community  service.  The 
uniting  of  Christian  forces  will  not  by  itself  alone  insure  rural  church 
progress.  The  new  country  church  program  must  be  added.  In  its 
absence,  a  real  advance  appears  to  be  impossible. 

59 


t)0  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

Greene  Township 

Greene  Township,  Trumbull  County,  is  situated  in  northeastern  Ohio, 
in  the  Western  Reserve.  In  1900  it  had  a  population  of  about  800  per- 
sons, in  1910  about  100  less.  Some  of  its  residents  are  descended  from 
the  early  settlers  from  New  England,  others  have  recently  moved  in 
from  western  sections  of  Ohio,  while  possibly  10  per  cent  are  of  foreign 
birth!  That  its  people  have  been  somewhat  progressive  is  indicated  by 
the  fact  that  it  was  among  the  first  three  townships  in  the  State  to  estab- 
lish a  centralized  school. 

Greene  is  not  a  rich  township.  It  has  no  railroad.  About  40  of  its 
houses  are  now  vacant.  Fields  which  formerly  were  producing  good 
crops  of  wheat,  corn,  and  oats  are  now  growing  up  to  brush.  The  young 
men  between  25  and  30  years  of  age  who  were  going  into  farming  before 
the  war  can  be  counted  on  the  fingers  of  one  hand.  It  is  probable,  how- 
ever, that  a  new  era  in  agriculture  has  begun.  Quite  recently  drainage, 
and  in  some  cases  the  application  of  lime,  have  reclaimed  much  waste 
land.  Still  other  land  will  be  treated  in  the  same  way  and  with  equally 
good  results.  Doubtless,  as  elsewhere,  progressive  country  church  work 
will  greatly  assist  a  general  movement  in  the  township  to  secure  abundant 
prosperity. 

In  the  geographical  center  of  the  township  are  two  churches,  Methodist 
Episcopal  and  Disciples  of  Christ.  These  two  are  about  equal  in  strength, 
while  in  the  northwestern  part  is  a  Baptist  church  with  but  three  or  four 
families  in  its  membership.  The  latter,  however,  supports  a  Sunday 
school  of  30  or  40  attendants. 

Formerly,  three  resident  ministers  lived  in  the  community,  but  for 
twelve  years  there  had  been  none.  The  Baptist  Church  holds  only  occa- 
sional preaching  services,  the  Disciples  have  depended  for  their  preaching 
upon  student  supplies  from  a  neighboring  theological  school,  while  the 
ministers  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  have  lived  outside  the 
township  at  North  Bloomfield,  five  miles  away,  where  there  are  Methodist 


FEDERATED   CHURCHES  6 I 

Episcopal,  Disciples,  and  Congregational  churches.  The  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  at  Greene,  therefore,  was  part  of  a  circuit  of  two 
churches. 

As  is  usually  the  case  among  farming  people  of  Ohio  where  there  are  no 
resident  ministers  the  people  of  Greene  Township  received  ver^'  few 
pastoral  calls.  Several  families  in  the  southeastern  section  of  the  town- 
ship have  had  Httle  or  no  association  with  any  ministers  or  churches. 
Mr.  Gill  recently  visited  the  township  on  a  pleasant  Sunday,  and  learned 
that  less  than  30  of  its  700  people  that  day  went  to  church. 

As  an  indication  that  the  churches  of  Greene  Township  have  been  losing 
their  hold  on  the  people,  it  may  be  noted  that  an  increasing  number  of 
families  do  not  ask  clerg}-men  to  ofl&ciate  at  funerals.  The  undertaker 
sometimes  conducts  a  short  service  at  the  grave,  or  his  wife  reads  a  prayer 
and  passage  of  scripture.  In  view  of  immemorial  custom,  the  absence  of  a 
clerg^Tnan  on  such  occasions  is  significant. 

The  total  amount  of  money  contributed  annually  to  the  support  of 
the  ministry  in  Greene  Township  has  been  not  more  than  $600.  Of  this 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  paid  its  minister  $300.  The  North 
Bloomficld  Church  in  an  adjacent  township  paid  him  $500,  so  that  the 
total  salary  of  the  ISIethodist  minister  who  gave  part  of  his  time  to 
Greene  Township  was  $800.  Ob^^ously  this  is  not  enough  to  support  a 
famil}'  and  enable  the  minister  to  keep  a  motor  car  or  a  horse.  A  large 
part  of  his  time  and  energ)',  therefore,  was  spent  in  walking  from  parish 
to  parish  and  from  house  to  house  through  an  area  of  50  square  miles. 

In  January  of  191 7  a  joint  cormnittee  was  appointed  by  the  churches 
of  Greene  Township  to  consider  the  questions  of  securing  a  resident 
pastor,  increasing  the  size  of  the  Sunday  school  and  congregation,  and 
rendering  all  other  forms  of  service  needed  in  the  community.  It  was 
decided  by  this  committee  that  a  federated  church  should  be  formed  in 
which  each  constituent  ecclesiastical  body  would  preserve  its  own  iden- 
tity. Each  church  would  independently  meet  its  obligations  to  its  own 
denomination  in  all  matters  outside  of  the  community,  whUe  all  the  mem- 
bers of  the  churches  would  unite  in  local  activities,  including  the  support 


62  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

of  a  resident  minister.  A  country  life  institute  was  held  to  stimulate  the 
desire  for  community  improvement,  and  the  plan  of  church  betterment 
was  set  forth  and  adopted. 

To  secure  support  for  a  minister,  a  thorough  canvass  was  made  by  a 
conmiittee  of  six  representing  the  three  churches.  As  a  result  of  its  work 
no  less  than  $1,500  was  subscribed.  "Our  results,"  wrote  the  chairman 
of  this  committee,  "have  surpassed  our  brightest  hopes.  It  is  a  genuine 
pleasure  to  work  for  something  that  is  going  to  help  the  whole  com- 
munity and  not  just  a  part.  I  beHeve  the  interests  of  the  Kingdom  will  be 
advanced  most  where  effort  is  united  in  rural  communities.  In  our  can- 
vass for  funds  we  were  surprised  to  find  that  the  non-church  people  were 
not  willing  that  the  churches  should  close  their  doors.  In  addition  we 
found  they  had  a  deeper  interest  in  the  church  than  we  could  possibly 
expect.  One  old  man,  probably  sixty-five,  said  that  this  was  the  first 
time  he  had  ever  been  asked  to  give  to  the  support  of  a  church.  He  added 
that  he  often  felt  he  would  like  to  give.  Many  a  man  said  he  would  double 
the  amount  of  his  gift  if  it  was  necessary." 

A  well-educated  minister  who  has  rendered  nine  successive  years  of 
effective  service  in  one  community  has  been  secured  as  pastor,  and  there  is 
now  a  most  encouraging  prospect  of  improvement  in  religious,  moral, 
social,  and  economic  life.  The  increased  giving  in  Greene  Township  has 
also  influenced  the  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  North 
Bloomfield.  They  have  pledged  $800,  instead  of  the  former  $500,  for  the 
support  of  their  minister,  and  expect  to  raise  $1,000.  Bloomfield  Town- 
ship also  hereafter  will  have  the  undivided  service  of  a  minister. 

As  a  result  of  this  movement  in  Greene  Township,  therefore,  four  of  the 
churches  of  these  two  townships  will  hereafter  pay  from  $2,300  to  $2,500 
for  the  support  of  the  ministry  instead  of  $1,100  as  hitherto,  while  two 
communities  will  each  have  the  full  time  service  of  a  resident  pastor. 
The  significance  of  this  increase  in  the  money  support  of  the  church  will 
be  apparent  to  those  who  have  studied  modern  rural  church  problems. 
The  failure  of  the  rural  churches  to  give  a  living  wage,  much  less  a  working 


FEDERATED   CHURCHES  63 

salary,  to  their  ministers  has  been  one  of  the  most  discouraging  facts  in 
the  rural  church  situation. 

If  the  three  churches  of  North  Bloomfield  should  federate  as  those  of 
Greene  Township  have  done,  doubtless  their  people  could  raise  «$i,5oo 
for  the  support  of  the  ministry.  Again,  if  all  the  churches  of  both  North 
Bloomfield  and  Greene  should  federate  it  would  be  possible  to  employ  a 
single  pastor  of  even  higher  grade  with  an  assistant.  An  automobile 
could  be  used  effectively  to  cover  both  townships.  In  some  cases,  as  in 
Benzonia,  Michigan,  one  minister  with  one  or  more  assistants  has  been 
able  to  get  better  results  at  less  expense.    The  plan  is  worth  trying. 

Aurora 

In  the  year  1913  in  the  village  of  Aurora,  Portage  County,  there  were 
two  churches,  the  Congregational  and  Disciples  of  Christ.  They  were 
small  in  attendance  and  membership,  and  it  was  hard  to  get  adequate 
support  for  the  ministers.  The  usual  results  of  underpaying  the  ministry 
were  not  wanting.  As  a  preliminary  step  in  the  improvement  of  this 
situation  an  organization  of  the  men  of  the  churches  was  formed  to  pro- 
mote the  general  community  welfare.  As  in  so  many  other  cases,  to  bring 
the  churches  together  in  cooperative  service  to  the  community  was  seen 
to  be  the  only  way  to  secure  a  vigorous  church  life  for  Aurora,  That  led 
to  the  decision  to  form  a  federated  church  under  the  leadership  of  one 
pastor.  Under  the  plan  adopted,  each  church  was  to  keep  its  denomina- 
tional relations,  contribute  to  its  denominational  benevolences,  and  fulfill 
all  denominational  obligations.  But  in  Aurora,  as  in  Greene  Township, 
the  people  were  to  work  together  as  in  one  church. 

Owing  to  circumstances  which  were  purely  accidental,  for  the  first 
year  or  two  the  church  was  not  very  prosperous  and  the  federation  was 
only  partially  successful.  But  after  awhile  the  church  began  to  take  on 
life.  While  at  the  beginning  it  was  mutually  understood  that  the  arrange- 
ment was  to  be  tried  for  but  two  years,  at  the  end  of  that  time  the  de- 


64  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

sirability  of  going  back  to  the  old  way  was  not  even  discussed.  So  far  as 
Mr.  Gill  could  learn  in  a  visit  to  the  comniunity,  the  one  and  only  one 
person  who  still  preferred  the  old  way  was  a  woman  who  had  opposed  the 
movement  from  the  start  and  had  always  held  aloof  from  it.  The  opinion 
of  the  people  is  now  practically  unanimous  that  both  the  community  and 
the  churches  were  greatly  benefited  by  the  change.  The  first  pastor  of 
this  church  was  of  the  Disciples,  the  second  a  Presbyterian. 

Garrettsville 

Garrettsville  is  a  prosperous  community  on  the  Erie  Railroad  between 
Youngstown  and  Cleveland.  Its  thousand  inhabitants  are  engaged 
partly  in  farming,  partly  in  manufacturing,  and  partly  in  supplying  the 
various  daily  needs  of  the  people.  Its  good  houses,  electric  lights,  paved 
streets,  and  trim  sidewalks  indicate  progressiveness  and  community 
spirit.  Being  progressive,  the  people  not  merely  recognized  the  unde- 
sirabiHty  of  interchurch  competition,  but  they  were  able  to  work  out  a 
plan  whereby  they  have  largely  avoided  it. 

In  April,  191 6,  there  were  four  churches  in  the  community,  or  on  an 
average  one  to  250  persons.  The  highest  salary  paid  to  its  minister  by 
any  of  the  churches  was  $800.  Two  of  the  other  churches  paid  much 
smaller  sums  and  shared  the  service  of  their  ministers  with  the  churches 
of  other  towns,  while  one  of  the  pastors  was  the  Educational  Secretary  of 
a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  in  a  town  thirty  miles  away.  The  spirit  of  denominational 
rivalry  was  in  no  respect  different  from  that  commonly  found  where 
there  are  too  many  churches.  When  the  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church  attempted  to  organize  a  branch  of  the  Boy  Scouts  of  America  for 
all  the  boys  in  the  community,  he  found  that  the  members  of  the  other 
churches  feared  he  was  attempting  to  win  the  boys  over  to  his  church. 
For  this  reason  he  tht)ught  it  best  to  give  up  the  enterprise. 

In  1914,  an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  to  unite  the  Congregational 
Churcli  and  the  Disciples,  and  another  to  unite  the  Baptist  and  Congre- 


FEDERATED   CHURCHES  65 

gational  churches.  In  1916,  however,  under  the  influence  of  the  country 
church  movement  in  Ohio,  a  successful  effort  was  made  to  unite  all  three 
of  them.  In  the  spring  of  that  year  these  three  churches  were  all  without 
pastors.  They  decided  to  hold  union  services  and  a  Union  Sunday 
school  during  the  summer. 

Upon  trial  the  advantages  of  this  arrangement  became  manifest.  Not 
only  was  the  church  attendance  larger  than  the  aggregate  attendance  in 
the  separate  churches  had  ever  been,  but  the  Sunday  school,  formerly 
with  separate  attendances  of  65,  20,  and  12,  now  had  an  attendance  of 
130.  Besides  the  added  enthusiasm  of  greater  numbers,  it  had  better 
teachers,  better  music,  and  a  better  Christian  spirit. 

In  September,  1916,  it  was  decided  by  separate  vote  of  each  church  to 
form  a  permanent  organization,  which  was  incorporated  with  the  name 
of  "The  United  Church,"  and  included  all  who  were  members  of  any 
of  the  three  churches.  No  member  was  asked  to  alter  any  of  his  beliefs, 
and  any  candidate  for  admission  might  choose  his  own  mode  of  being  re- 
ceived, provided  it  was  one  used  in  some  Evangelical  church.  Con- 
tributions for  missionary  work  were  sent  to  denominational  bodies  in- 
dicated by  the  givers  or  determined  by  a  joint  committee.  For  all  local 
work  the  members  were  to  act  as  one  body.  A  committee  of  the  United 
Church  chose  as  pastor  a  young  man  of  rural  experience,  a  graduate  of  an 
eastern  university  and  seminary,  whose  denominational  affiliation  was 
regarded  as  of  so  little  importance  that  it  was  not  even  announced. 

The  United  Church  of  Garrettsville,  after  two  years  of  experience, 
affords  reUgious  opportunities  and  renders  service  to  the  people  far  be- 
yond anything  the  town  could  supply  before  the  federation  was  made. 

While  the  three  original  churches  remain  intact,  the  main  part  of  the 
business  of  the  church  is  done  by  the  committee  of  the  United  Church. 
The  officials  of  the  denominations  of  the  three  churches  interested 
heartily  encourage  the  project.  The  united  force  of  church  workers  from 
three  denominations  has  made  a  very  efficient  church. 

The  United  Church  is  the  result  of  a  desire  of  the  people  to  be  as  closely 


66  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

joined  in  their  new  church  as  they  were  in  their  different  denominational 
churches.  Its  motto  is  "In  essentials,  unity,  in  non-essentials,  liberty, 
in  diversities,  charity,  in  all  things,  Christ  first."  It  accepts  the  Scrip- 
tures as  its  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  interpreted  in  the  light  of 
fundamental  agreements  in  evangeHcal  teaching,  and  in  the  spirit  of  its 
motto.  Forms  of  ritual  for  the  sacrament,  for  the  public  services,  and  for 
admission  into  the  church  are  left  to  the  decision  of  the  minister,  and  are 
not  provided  for  in  the  regulations.  It  was  desired  to  keep  the  forms  of 
sectarianism  too  feeble  to  be  able  to  keep  the  people  apart.  Persons  may 
join  the  United  Church  without  joining  any  of  the  three  denominations 
represented  by  the  original  constituent  bodies. 

The  Sunday  school  is  well  organized,  and  is  testing  its  work  by  the 
highest  standard  of  Christian  education.  Its  relation  to  the  church  is 
very  close.  The  young  people  have  a  Christian  Endeavor  Society.  The 
women's  work  is  carried  on  by  a  most  flourishing  society  under  the  name 
of  "The  Community  Circle,"  whose  form  of  organization  provides  for 
taking  care  of  both  local  and  missionary  needs.  At  the  first  meeting 
of  each  month,  half  of  the  time  is  given  to  local  opportunities  for 
service.  The  general  social  life  of  the  church  is  largely  cared  for  by  this 
society. 

The  United  Church  has  leased  all  the  property  of  the  old  churches  for  a 
term  of  years  and  cares  for  the  church  buildings.  It  has  decided  to  build  a 
new  community  house  for  promoting  the  social  life  of  the  community  and 
general  community  interests,  but  has  postponed  it  until  after  the  war. 
In  the  Articles  of  Incorporation  one  of  the  objects  is  regarded  as  the  sup- 
port of  such  enterprises  as  tend  to  the  more  perfect  development  of  the 
children  and  young  people  spiritually,  physically,  morally,  and  socially. 

Representatives  of  the  old  churches  usually  go  to  the  meetings  of  their 
respective  denominations,  and  are  accompanied  by  such  members  of  the 
United  Church  as  may  wish  to  attend  as  visitors.  Reports  of  the  meet- 
ings are  made  at  meetings  of  the  United  Church.  The  pastor  of  the 
United  Church  is  also  pastor  of  each  of  the  three  denominational  churches 


FEDERATED   CHURCHES  67 

and  so  far  as  possible  attends  the  district  meetings  of  the  denominational 
bodies  in  a  representative  capacity  and  cares  for  the  local  denominational 
interests.  Public  services  and  meetings  are  held  in  the  Congregational 
Church  building  because  it  is  the  largest  and  best  equipped.  A  baptistry 
is  now  being  installed,  and  various  uses  are  being  found  for  the  other 
buildings. 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  United  Church  of  Garrettsville  differs  in  some 
respects  from  the  ordinary  federated  church. 

Northfield 

In  Northfield,  Summit  County,  the  Presbyterian  and  Methodist 
Episcopal  churches  united  by  verbal  agreement  in  a  federated  church  on 
December  i,  1914.  Written  articles  were  adopted  several  months  later. 
The  pastor  of  the  federated  church,  Rev.  J.  M.  Keck,  has  kindly  given  us 
the  following  brief  account: 

"The  consent  of  the  higher  officials  of  each  denomination  was  first 
secured.  Then  the  members  of  the  local  churches  agreed  to  the  following 
plan: 

"The  Presbyterians  remain  in  the  Cleveland  Presbytery  and  the 
Methodists  in  the  Northeast  Ohio  Conference  as  before.  The  legal 
organization  of  each  local  church  continues  intact.  Each  set  of  trustees 
has  charge  of  its  property.  The  Presbyterian  Church  being  the  better 
located,  is  used  for  worship,  and  the  Methodist  for  dinners,  etc.  When  a 
building  needs  repairs,  funds  are  raised  from  the  entire  congregation  by 
voluntary  contributions. 

"The  only  additional  organization  is  an  Executive  Conamittee,  half 
Presbyterians  and  half  Methodists,  which  has  charge  of  current  expenses 
and  all  matters  relating  to  the  congregation  as  a  whole.  An  every-member 
canvass  for  the  local  budget  is  made  in  which  no  account  is  taken  of 
church  relations,  no  one  but  the  treasurer  knowing  how  much  is  con- 
tributed by  each  denomination.     Benevolent  contributions  arc  equally 


68  SIX    THOUSAND   COUNTRY    CHURCHES 

divided  between  the  denominational  boards  or  applied  to  the  Presby- 
terian or  Methodist  funds  as  indicated  on  envelopes. 

"Persons  desiring  to  unite  with  the  church  elect  whether  they  are  to  be 
Presbyterians  or  Methodists  and  are  received  accordingly.  No  one  seems 
to  care  in  which  they  are  enrolled,  since  they  work  in  the  same  congrega- 
tion and  contribute  to  the  same  funds.  The  order  of  pubHc  worship  is  a 
modification  of  each  of  those  formerly  in  use  but  retains  the  essential 
features  of  both. 

"So  far  there  has  not  been  the  slightest  friction  between  the  denomina- 
tions.   No  one  seems  to  think  of  ever  going  back  to  the  old  way. 

WHAT   THE   PRESBYTERIANS    GAINED 

"i.  A  church  was  saved  for  the  denomination  which  in  time  would 
probably  have  been  forced  to  disband. 

"2.  Several  hundred  dollars  of  home  missionary  money  was  saved 
annually  which  had  been  expended  in  Northfield  to  keep  the  church  open 
and  alive.    Under  the  federation  it  is  not  needed. 

"3.  Offerings  are  made  to  the  various  boards  and  interests  of  Presby- 
terianism. 

WHAT   THE    METHODIST   CONFERENCE    GAIl^D 

"i.  A  church  was  saved  that  doubtless  would  have  been  closed  in  a 
few  years  for  want  of  support. 

"2.  The  salary  of  the  pastor  has  been  increased  and  also  the  stipends 
of  the  district  superintendent,  the  bishops,  conferences,  and  claimants. 

"3  The  contributions  to  all  boards  and  benevolences  have  been  in- 
creased. 

\VHAT   THE   COMMUNITY   GAINED 

,  "i.  Federation  saves  paying  two  pastors  and  keeping  two  church 
buildings  when  one  is  sufficient.    It  makes  the  public  more  willing  to  aid. 


FEDERATED   CHURCHES  69 

"2.  The  congregation  being  more  than  doubled,  there  is  more  en- 
thusiasm and  willingness  to  work. 

"3.  It  has  silenced  the  criticism  that  the  churches  are  competing  in- 
stead of  cooperating. 

"4.  The  economic  and  fraternal  features  of  federation  appeal  to  the 
pubhc  and  bring  into  line  people  who  did  not  patronize  either  church 
before." 

Federated  Churches  in  Other  States 

More  churches  have  been  federated  in  New  England  than  in  any  other 
section  of  the  United  States.  Familiarity  with  the  success  or  failure  of 
these  churches  is  therefore  necessary  to  a  reasonably  full  discussion  of 
interchurch  cooperation.  Accordingly  information  blanks  were  sent  to  a 
number  of  these  federated  churches.  The  inquiries  were  expressed  as 
follows : 

1.  Date  of  Federation? 

2.  Denominations  of  constituent  bodies? 

3.  Membership  of  each  church  at  the  time  of  federation? 

4.  Denomination  of  the  first  minister  and  of  succeeding  ministers? 

5.  Do  the  people  like  the  present  arrangement  better  than  the  old? 

6.  Do  many  people  want  to  go  back  to  the  old  way? 

7.  Have  church  benevolences  declined  or  increased? 

8.  How  has  the  pecuniary  support  of  the  ministry  been  affected? 

9.  How  have  other  expenditures  of  the  church  been  affected? 

10.  Has  attendance  declined  or  increased? 

1 1 .  Has  church  membership  decKned  or  increased? 

12.  What  effect,  if  any,  has  the  formation  of  the  federated  church  had 
upon  the  social  life  of  the  community? 

13.  Kindly  express  frankly  your  opinion  of  the  federated  church  as  a 
means  of  securing  Christian  unity  and  church  efficiency. 

Fifteen  churches  replied.  In  these  fifteen  federated  churches  were 
thirteen    Congregational   churches,    nine    Methodist   Episcopal,    seven 


70  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

Baptist,  and  one  Uiiiversalist.  The  Universalist  was  federated  with  a 
Congregational  church,  two  federated  churches  were  made  up  of  Baptist 
and  Methodist,  five  of  Baptist  and  Congregational,  seven  of  Methodist 
Episcopal  and  Congregational. 

The  first  ministers  of  four  of  the  federated  churches  were  Baptists,  of 
five,  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  of  five,  Congregational. 

One  of  the  churches  had  had  an  experience  of  sixteen  years,  one  of 
eleven,  two  of  eight,  two  of  six,  two  of  five,  two  of  four,  two  of  three, 
three  of  two,  making  the  average  experience  of  the  fifteen  federated 
churches  more  than  five  years. 

Of  the  fifteen  answers  to  question  5,  thirteen  said  that  the  people  liked 
the  present  arrangement  better  than  the  old,  while  the  other  two  said 
there  were  not  many  people  who  wanted  to  go  back  to  the  old  way. 

In  reply  to  question  7,  eight  declared  that  the  benevolences  had  in- 
creased, three  that  they  had  remained  the  same,  one  said  benevolences 
varied  in  different  years,  while  in  three  the  benevolences  had  declined. 
In  one  of  these  the  decline  was  very  slight  and  there  was  a  prospect  of  an 
increase  in  the  future. 

In  thirteen  the  support  of  the  ministry  has  been  favorably  affected  by 
the  federation.  From  one  the  answer  is  ambiguous.  In  the  case  of  Truro, 
Massachusetts,  where  one  church  had  a  membership  of  three  and  the 
other  of  eight,  at  the  time  of  federation,  the  answer  indicates  a  decrease  in 
the  amount  given  to  the  salary. 

The  answers  to  question  9  indicate  that  the  ruiming  expenditures  of 
the  churches  are  often  less  and  that  the  money  is  more  easily  raised  to 
meet  them. 

To  question  10,  nine  of  the  answers  denoted  an  increased  attendance, 
five  no  noticeable  change.  No  church  reported  a  decrease.  In  one  case 
the  answer  was  obscure. 

The  answers  to  question  11  report  that  eight  have  increased  in  mem- 
bership, five  have  remained  stationary,  one  reports  normal  additions,  and 
one  a  slight  decrease. 


FEDERATED   CHURCHES  7 I 

In  answer  to  question  12,  twelve  churches  reported  a  favorable  effect 
upon  the  social  life  of  the  community,  two  recently  formed  reported  that 
there  was  no  marked  effect  yet,  while  one  gave  no  answer.  All  but  one 
of  the  correspondents  cherish  a  strong  opinion  that  the  federated  church 
is  the  best  arrangement  when  a  community  is  overchurched  and  the 
churches  are  small.    One  pastor  of  a  federation  had  nothing  to  say. 

The  following  are  the  replies  to  the  request  made  at  the  end  of  the 
questionnaire,  ''Kindly  express  frankly  your  opinion  of  the  federated 
church  as  a  means  of  securing  Christian  unity  and  church  efficiency": 

1.  "Nothing  to  say." 

2.  "I  do  not  see  any  reasons  why  two  or  more  churches  of  Congrega- 
tional form  of  government  should  not  federate,  but  it  would  be  difficult  to 
federate  with  Episcopal  form  of  church  goverimaent." 

.  3.  "The  efficiency  here  has  been  greater  since  these  churches  federated 
than  it  was  before.  No  church  could  support  a  pastor.  The  Baptist 
Church  had  been  pastorless  for  three  and  a  half  years.  The  Congrega- 
tional Church  was  supplied  by  students  from  Hartford  Theological 
Seminary.  Now  they  pay  a  fair  salary  and  give  free  use  of  parsonage. 
Federation  is  the  best  solution  of  overchurched  communities." 

4.  "The  federated  church  should  be  adopted  in  rural  coinmunities  and 
in  many  small  cities.  I  see  no  other  way  to  bring  the  church  into  its 
place  as  a  social  and  religious  power." 

5.  "It  is  my  opinion  that  for  a  community  that  is  like  this  one  a  fed- 
erated church  is  a  great  means  to  secure  Christian  unity  and  efficiency. 
At  our  last  meeting  there  were  but  two  who  were  not  enthusiastic  for  its 
continuance.  Our  field  here  would  be  much  better  if  there  were  not 
another  church  in  the  community  outside  the  federation.  There  is  still 
the  Unitarian  Church  outside  the  federation  which  necessarily  makes  a 
divided  leadership  in  the  small  community.  Our  federated  church  has 
grown  from  two  small  churches  to  the  position  of  dominance  in  the  com- 
munity. Our  decrease  in  benevolences  is  largely  explainable  and  ex- 
cusable perhaps  in  that  it  occurred  during  the  time  when  there  were  so 


72  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

many  other  things  to  take  care  of,  relative  to  the  federation.  It  will 
not  happen  again,  but  for  a  part  of  the  time  we  were  without  a  pastor  and 
during  the  rest  of  the  time  exceedingly  busy  getting  things  adjusted." 

6.  "We  are  thoroughly  satisfied.  Each  church  in  denominational 
relationship  (the  Methodist  Episcopal  and  Congregational)  is  as  inde- 
pendent and  well  organized  as  before  federation.  Each  church  is  stronger 
than  before  federation.  We  look  forward  to  the  day  when  federation  will 
be  the  rule  in  overchurched  communities  for  the  sake  of  the  good  of  church 
and  community  rather  than  from  pecuniary  necessity."  This  opinion 
was  expressed  after  an  experience  of  sixteen  years  of  the  federated 
church. 

7.  "Having  been  pastor  of  the  federated  church  in  Somerset  for  three 
years  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to  say  that  I  unquaUfiedly  recommend  federa- 
tion as  a  solution  of  the  overchurched  problem  in  country  and  village. 
Wherever  there  are  genuine  Christian  members,  federation  will  work 
perfectly." 

8.  "It  is  a  great  help  in  small  places." 

9.  "Our  federation  has  been  a  great  success.  Perfect  harmony  seems 
to  reign." 

10.  "A  strong  church  can  do  better  work  alone,  but  two  or  more  weak 
churches  should  unite  in  the  support  of  one  minister.  A  federated  church 
gives  opportunity  for  denominational  loyalty  and  connections.  This  is 
important." 

11.  "This  is  a  small  town,  only  about  435  population,  but  it  is  a  summer 
resort  and  during  the  months  of  July  and  August  a  great  many  city  people 
attend  church.  I  am  pastor  of  this  church  and  North  Thetford,  another 
federated  church  about  five  miles  south.  It  is  about  the  only  way  these 
churches  could  be  run,  for  both  are  small  places." 

12.  "This  federated  church  is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  During  the 
present  pastorate  since  May,  1914,  31  have  been  received  into  the  church. 
The  building  has  been  remodeled  at  a  cost  of  about  $3,500,  all  paid  but 
$300.00." 


FEDERATED    nnTRniES  73 

13.  "It  is  the  most  efficient  means  of  securing  Christian  unity  arid 
church  efficiency  ever  discovered.    It  is  the  ideal  way." 

14.  "I  am  convinced  of  the  sincerity  of  Christian  unity  and  of  the 
possibility  of  church  efficiency,  but  it  has  not  really  approached  that 
reality  any  more  than  some  denominational  churches  have  in  rural  cen- 
ters. But  it  is  a  wholesome  and  generally  satisfactory  plan  of  religious 
service  in  a  conmiunity  of  changing  personnel.  In  the  community  is 
quite  a  large  Catholic  element  and  also  a  very  progressive  and  influential 
Universalist  element.  This  remains  in  our  midst  practically  unassim- 
ilated  as  yet,  after  a  dozen  years  with  no  services  in  their  church.  The 
children  are  coming  into  the  Sunday  school  pretty  well  and  time  will 
overcome  some  of  these  obstacles." 

15.  ''It  is  the  reasonable  and  only  possible  means  in  this  and  many 
other  communities  in  Cape  Cod,  but  it  needs  energy  and  aggressive  effort 
to  succeed." 

In  the  face  of  the  fact  that  a  very  large  proportion  of  denominational 
rural  churches  are  on  the  decline,  the  experience  of  these  fifteen  churches 
constitutes  very  strong  evidence  that  the  federated  church  is  a  practical 
means  of  securing  Christian  unity  and  increased  church  efficiency  in 
small  overchurched  communities. 

In  order  to  learn  whether  or  not  it  is  true  that  only  the  more  successful 
churches  replied  to  the  questionnaire,  we  have  by  other  means  secured 
information  in  regard  to  certain  churches  which  did  not  reply.  Some 
of  them  were  found  to  be  as  successful  as  those  which  did.  For  example, 
the  federated  church  of  North  Wilbraham,  Massachusetts,  the  con- 
stituent bodies  of  which  are  Methodist  Episcopal  and  Congregational 
churches,  has  greatly  increased  in  membership,  attendance,  and  in  the 
influence  it  exerts  for  various  kinds  of  progress  in  its  community.  It 
would  be  very  difficult  to  find  any  country  church,  either  denominational 
or  federated,  whose  record  for  service  is  better. 

In  two  cases  in  New  England  where  the  federated  church  has  failed, 
it  was  reported  that  the  pastors  regarded  the  federated  church  as  a 


74  SIX    THOUSAND    COUNTRY    CHURCHES 

temporary  expedient  and  tried  hartl  to  change  it  into  a  denominational 
church.  Such  action  would  necessarily  be  regarded  as  a  breach  of  faith 
on  the  part  of  one  of  the  churches,  and  disaster  might  well  be  expected  to 
follow.  The  authors  know  of  no  experience  which  indicates  any  inherent 
weakness  in  the  federated  church,  nor  so  far  as  they  are  aware  is  there  any 
evidence  that  a  federated  church  has  injured  the  denomination  of  any 
component  church.  On  the  contrary,  a  very  large  majority  of  the  small 
churches  which  have  united  with  others  in  such  federation  have  gained 
rather  than  lost,  with  a  resulting  benefit  to  each  denomination  concerned. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

OTHER  PROGRESSIVE   CHURCHES 

I .  A  Church  Federation 

In  the  village  of  Shiloh  in  Richland  County  are  two  churches,  Lutheran 
and  Methodist  Episcopal,  each  supporting  a  resident  pastor.  Each 
seems  to  be  strong  enough  to  sustain  alone  its  ordinary  activities.  For 
this  and  other  reasons  there  has  been  no  desire  to  unite  the  churches  into 
one  congregation.  But  they  had  both  neglected  to  provide  means  of 
meeting  many  of  the  community's  needs,  such  as  opportunites  for  social 
life,  recreation,  and  athletics,  or  to  stimulate  others  to  make  provision 
for  them.  As  usual  under  such  conditions,  gambling  and  other  amuse- 
ments of  a  questionable  sort  became  more  or  less  common.  In  order  the 
better  to  look  after  the  needs  of  the  young  people  and  to  strengthen  the 
moral  life  of  the  community,  a  committee  representing  both  of  the 
churches  was  appointed  to  provide  and  carry  out  a  program  for  the  com- 
munity welfare. 

One  of  the  features  of  this  program  is  a  successful  movement  for  the 
promotion  of  the  social,  athletic,  and  play  life  of  this  and  neighboring 
communities.  The  Hfe  of  the  neighborhood  has  been  made  more  attrac- 
tive, especially  for  the  young  people,  while  some  of  the  forms  of  petty 
vice  have  disappeared.  Union  services  are  frequently  held  by  the  two 
churches.    In  every  way  their  work  is  becoming  more  effective. 

This  form  of  cooperative  organization  may  be  called  a  church  federa- 
tion, but  it  should  be  distinguished  from  the  federated  church,  which 
is  the  union  of  two  or  more  churches  into  a  single  congregation.  In  every 
rural  community  where  it  is  neither  feasible  nor  desirable  to  unite  all  the 
churches  under  the  leadership  of  one  pastor,  a  church  federation  should  be 

75 


76  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

fonncd  to  create  conditions  favorable  to  the  development  of  Christian 
character,  to  hold  community  religious  services  and  social  gatherings,  and 
to  render  all  forms  of  social  service  which  are  needed  in  the  community, 
but  are  not  rendered  bv  other  institutions. 


2.  Cooperation  with  Other  Social  Forces 

Where  there  are  social  organizations  other  than  school  and  church  it 
often  happens  that  the  churches  can  get  better  results  by  working  with 
them.  An  example  of  this  kind  of  cooperation  may  be  found  in  White 
Cottage,  Newton  Township,  Muskingum  County.  Here  the  pastor  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  made  a  thorough  survey  of  the  community 
in  an  area  which  included  four  churches.  He  then  prepared  a  sermon  on 
the  much  needed  country  life  movement,  and  sent  a  personal  letter  to 
every  family  in  the  area  covered  by  the  survey,  inviting  its  members  to 
come  and  hear  his  sermon.  Large  numbers  responded.  Then  a  mass 
meeting  was  called  to  discuss  the  situation,  and  the  results  of  the  survey 
were  set  forth.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  draw  up  a  constitution  for 
a  community  betterment  organization.  At  a  second  mass  meeting  it  was 
adopted.  Under  it  every  member  of  the  community  became  a  member  of 
the  association.  Every  social  organization  in  the  community  was  given 
equal  representation  on  the  Executive  Committee,  which  has  standing 
committees  on  programs  and  publicity,  on  religion  and  social  service,  on 
education,  on  recreation  and  physical  culture,  and  on  finance. 

A  general  cleaning  up  of  the  community  followed.  An  unsightly  square 
was  transferred  into  an  attractive  playground,  where  every  Saturday 
afternoon  there  was  basket  ball,  volley  ball,  croquet,  tennis,  track  athlet- 
ics, or  baseball.  A  library  and  public  reading  room  was  opened,  a  tem- 
perance program  was  adopted,  farmers'  institutes  were  established,  and 
lectures  on  agriculture  and  home  economics  were  given,  together  with  a 
Chautauqua  course  of  lectures  for  winter  and  summer,  and  a  series  of 
home  talent  plays.    There  were  three  holiday  picnics  each  summer,  and 


OTHER  PROGRESSIVE   CHURCHES  77 

field  day  exercises  with  a  parade,  platform  meetings,  and  a  community 
dinner. 

Other  results  of  this  movement  are  a  fine  new  school  building  with  a 
large  auditorium,  and  greatly  improved  roads.  Moreover,  a  favorable 
reaction  has  been  felt  in  the  churches.  Whereas,  formerly  but  37^^  per 
cent  of  the  population  were  church  attendants,  now  there  are  58  per  cent; 
where  formerly  40  per  cent  of  the  people  went  to  Sunday  school,  now  there 
are  52  per  cent.    The  whole  community  shows  a  higher  moral  tone. 

While  the  churches  at  White  Cottage  were  not  united  in  any  organic 
way,  yet  a  spirit  of  Christian  unity  was  brought  about.  The  very  best 
of  feeling  exists  among  the  different  churches,  and  their  members  work 
together  gladly  in  community  improvement.  As  the  result  of  such  an 
atmosphere  the  evils  of  overchurching  are  reduced  to  a  minimum,  and  it 
becomes  easier  to  bring  about  such  reorganization  as  may  be  for  the  best 
religious  and  social  welfare  of  the  community. 

Organizations  of  cooperating  rural  social  forces,  like  that  at  White 
Cottage,  for  many  years  have  been  doing  good  work  in  other  states,  both 
East  and  West.  In  large  numbers  of  communities,  particularly  where 
the  churches  cannot  be  federated,  or  where  bitter  feeling  has  resulted 
from  interchurch  competition,  the  best  method  of  progress  is  often  to 
bring  about  such  a  coordination  of  forces  in  the  service  of  the  community 
itself. 

3.  Community  Service  and  Christian  Unity 

Ashley,  in  Delaware  County,  is  a  town  of  about  600  inhabitants.  Here 
a  resident  pastor's  desire  to  serve  his  community  resulted  in  Christian 
unity.  Twelve  years  ago  there  were  four  competing  churches,  poorly 
attended  and  struggling  for  existence.  Camp  meetings  of  a  fanatical 
sect  were  often  held  in  the  neighborhood.  In  the  churches  of  the  town 
seasons  of  protracted  meetings  were  characterized  by  excessive  emotion  at 
the  time,  but  by  few  permanent  good  results.  While  respect  for  religion 
is  necessary  to  a  high  degree  of  moral  and  social  life  in  any  country  com- 


78  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

munity,  a  large  proportion  of  the  people  in  Ashley  no  longer  respected  the 
church  because  of  the  character  of  its  religious  activities.  Many  of  the 
most  influential  citizens  even  doubted  whether  the  church  was  good  for 
the  community  or  not.  High  ideals  were  conspicuously  lacking  among 
the  young  people,  and  disorderly  conduct  was  beginning  to  appear. 

In  the  year  1907  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  acquired  a  pastor 
who  by  nature  and  training  was  well  equipped  for  his  work.  Fortunately 
he  was  the  only  resident  minister  in  the  town,  where  he  remained  for 
nearly  ten  years.  As  the  result  of  his  leadership  the  whole  community 
now  has  a  high  regard  for  religion  and  the  church,  while  a  practical 
Christian  unity  has  been  brought  about  and  interchurch  competition  has 
disappeared.  The  moral  and  religious  atmosphere  of  the  place  has  be- 
come wholesome. 

Community  life  has  been  made  attractive  through  special  instruction 
and  entertainment,  social  gatherings,  athletics,  and  all  kinds  of  healthy 
amusement. 

There  still  are  two  churches,  but  one  of  them  meets  not  oftener  than 
once  a  month,  is  attended  by  only  two  or  three  families,  and  has  ceased 
to  be  a  factor  in  the  life  of  the  community.  The  other  church  is  well 
attended  and  is  generally  recognized  as  the  community  church.  The 
members  of  the  two  churches  which  have  dropped  out  have,  for  the  most 
part,  united  with  it,  while  the  building  of  one  of  them  has  become  the 
gymnasium  of  the  community  church. 

Though  the  work  of  this  successful  pastor  was  begun  before  the  modern 
country  life  and  country  church  movement  had  been  developed,  his 
program  and  methods  of  work  in  no  way  differ  from  those  which  are 
common  to  the  nation-wide  movement.  In  fact  large  numbers  of  country 
pastors,  widely  scattered  over  the  United  States,  entirely  independent  of 
one  another  or  of  the  literature  of  any  special  movement,  have  made  and 
carried  out  programs  for  church  and  community  betterment  which  in 
their  essentials  are  substantially  alike.  The  pastors  have  all  studied  the 
needs  of  their  communities  and  have  tried  to  meet  them.    Similarity  of 


OTHER   PROGRESSIVE   CHURCHES  79 

needs  in  the  different  communities  has  naturally  resulted  in  the  adoption 
of  similar  programs. 

The  pastor  who  did  at  Ashley  the  work  just  described  began  by  making 
a  thorough  study  of  his  parish.  He  then  led  the  young  people  into  active 
work  for  their  community,  and  later  on  stimulated  the  older  men  to  do 
their  part  also,  until  finally  it  became  recognized  in  Ashley  that  the  duty 
of  the  Christian  and  the  church  is  not  to  work  mainly  for  the  church,  but 
mainly  for  the  common  welfare  and  the  development  of  all  the  people. 

This  minister  never  emphasized  any  form  of  sectarianism.  He  thought 
of  himself  as  pastor  of  the  whole  town  and  countryside  rather  than  of 
his  church  alone,  so  that  whatever  he  did  was  entirely  free  from  the  spirit 
of  competition.  The  people  did  not  fail  to  recognize  his  aims,  and,  in 
consequence,  were  satisfied  with  his  leadership.  Thus  it  became  possible 
for  him  and  his  church  to  work  to  satisfy  the  needs  of  all  the  people.  The 
Presbyterians  and  Friends,  therefore,  willingly  joined  his  church  and 
gave  up  their  own.  But  if  in  speech  or  deed  he  had  attempted  to  build 
up  his  own  church  at  the  expense  of  the  others,  there  would  undoubtedly 
be  four  churches  in  Ashley  to-day. 

The  Ashley  community  church  secured  the  creation  of  a  community 
library,  itself  provided  a  community  reading  room,  gave  special  attention 
to  the  day  school  and  its  teachers,  held  each  year  free  university  extension 
lectures  on  agriculture  and  home  economics,  lectures  on  sanitation  and 
prevention  of  diseases,  gave  socials  and  festivals,  promoted  athletics, 
maintained  a  church  gymnasium,  and  formed  farmers'  clubs  and  helped 
them  in  their  work.  Though  there  were  lodges  in  Ashley  which  held 
occasional  gatherings,  still  the  church  was  generally  recognized  as  the 
institution  which  supplied  the  opportunities  for  social  Hfe  for  the  whole 
conmiunity.  The  church  became  preeminently  the  most  democratic  and 
most  popular  institution  in  the  town. 

Simplicity  of  organization  was  the  aim  of  the  pastor.  Sunday  school 
classes,  including  a  men's  Bible  class,  were  organized,  and  were  stimulated 
to  do  their  best  to  meet  the  social  and  other  needs  of  the  communitv. 


8o  SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

So  well  did  they  do  their  work  that  other  organizations  were  found  to  be 
unnecessary.  One  unusual  feature  of  the  pastor's  work  was  the  combin- 
ing of  the  Bible  school  session  on  Sunday  morning  with  the  service  of  the 
church,  making  one  service  of  worship,  at  which  communion  is  adminis- 
tered and  members  are  received. 

No  collections  are  taken  up  in  the  church,  but  a  budget  is  made  at  the 
beginning  of  the  year  and  the  money  is  raised  through  a  church  com- 
mittee. Contributions  for  benevolences  have  been  greatly  increased 
during  this  pastorate,  and  large  sums  have  been  spent  for  building  and 
improvements.  Yet  nevertheless  the  community  did  not  furnish  ade- 
quate support  for  its  pastor,  undoubtedly  because  as  in  the  case  of  nearly 
all  pastors,  he  refused  to  work  for  an  increase  in  his  own  salary,  while, 
as  in  nearly  all  small  communities,  no  one  else  took  the  matter  up.  In 
this  respect,  therefore,  the  people  acted  unjustly  towards  their  minister. 

It  should  be  noted  that  the  minister  was  well  trained  and  of  high 
character;  that  he  lived  in  the  community  he  served;  that  he  was  given  a 
long  term  of  service;  and  that  he  cherished  a  right  conception  of  the  work 
of  minister  and  church. 

Such  work  as  this  is  badly  needed  in  multitudes  of  communities  in 
Ohio.  It  is  the  only  thing  that  can  preserve  or  restore  their  wholesome- 
ness  and  make  them  suitable  places  for  the  rearing  of  children.  The 
church,  as  a  whole,  should  spare  no  effort  in  providing  large  numbers  of 
such  men  to  do  this  kind  of  work,  for  the  total  result  of  so  doing  would 
be  an  increase  of  untold  value  in  the  strength  of  the  very  foundations  of 
Christian  civilization  in  America. 

4.  Christian  Unity  by  Necessity 

In  Ontario,  Springfield  Township,  Richland  County,  there  were  three 
churches,— Presbyterian,  United  Presbyterian,  and  Methodist  Episcopal. 
Because  many  of  the  best  families  had  left,  the  Presbyterian  churches 
have  held  no  regular  services  since  the  year  1900.  For  a  time  the  Meth- 
odist Ei)isc<)i)al  Church  shared  a  resident  minister  with  three  or  four  other 


OTHER  PROGRESSIVE   CHURCHES  8 1 

churches,  but  from  191 2  Springfield  Township  was  left  without  a  resident 
minister  for  three  years.  Under  these  circumstances  it  was  inevitable 
that  social  and  moral  decline  should  begin,  for  the  modern  community's 
needs  cannot  be  met  by  the  old-fashioned  circuit  system.  More  and 
more  the  better  families  moved  away  or  relapsed  into  the  background, 
and  the  less  moral  elements  became  conspicuous.  A  dance  hall  became 
the  haunt  of  disorderly  people  from  neighboring  towns.  Drunkenness 
grew  apace,  while  bad  language  on  the  streets  was  altogether  too  com- 
mon. Pilfering  the  property  of  the  railroad  was  more  or  less  open.  It 
was  high  time  to  act. 

Accordingly,  the  people  of  all  the  denominations  and  the  non-church 
people  who  lived  in  the  township,  realizing  that  it  was  going  from  bad  to 
worse,  joined  in  deciding  that  a  resident  minister  was  necessary.  Money 
was  raised,  and  the  future  support  of  a  minister  was  promised  if  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Conference  would  send  them  a  good  man. 

The  new  minister  began  his  work  in  the  autumn  of  191 5.  The  total 
budget  of  the  church  had  been  about  $500,  of  which  less  than  $250  went 
to  the  minister's  salary.  During  his  first  year,  $1,540  was  raised,  $900  of 
which  went  for  the  support  of  the  minister.  In  the  second  year  no  less 
than  $7,500  was  raised,  $1,000  for  the  minister's  salary,  $540  for  ordinary 
expenses,  while  the, rest  went  to  the  permanent  repairs  on  the  church 
buildings. 

As  in  Ashley,  so  in  Springfield  Township;  the  pastor  regarded  his 
church  as  a  community  church  and  thought  of  himself  as  a  Christian 
rather  than  as  a  sectarian.  The  attendance  more  than  doubled  both  at 
the  church  services  and  at  the  Sunday  school,  while  the  real  membership 
increased  from  less  than  100  to  315.  When  the  Presbyterians  saw  the 
manifest  good  that  could  be  brought  by  united  Christian  action,  they 
became  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  while  later  on  they 
made  a  Christmas  present  of  their  building  to  the  Methodist  community 
church.  It  is  now  used  as  the  house  of  worship,  while  the  Methodist 
Church  has  become  a  gymnasiimi  and  parish  house. 


82  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

Under  the  leadership  of  the  new  resident  minister  a  genuine  cleaning 
up  of  the  gross  indecency  was  made,  some  of  the  most  harmful  characters 
left,  and  the  place  became  comparatively  orderly.  The  village  has  been 
transformed  from  a  rural  slum  to  a  very  decent  community, — a  safe  place 
to  bring  up  children.  This  better  state  of  things  will  undoubtedly  con- 
tinue as  long  as  the  present  system  of  church  work  prevails. 

The  plan  of  this  church's  work  did  not  differ  from  that  of  many  other 
modern  country  churches.  It  included  Sunday  school  classes  organized 
for  social  service,  athletics,  including  basket  ball,  a  full  program  of  social 
activities,  lectures  to  promote  an  intelhgent  interest  in  agriculture,  and 
active  interest  on  the  part  of  the  minister  in  cooperating  with  the  day 
schools  and  providing  opportunities  for  intellectual  advancement. 

The  pastor  declares  that  the  work  in  Springfield  Township  was  made 
possible  only  because  he  could  live  in  the  community,  because  he  could 
give  his  whole  time  to  this  field,  and  because  of  the  program  of  country 
church  service  with  which,  through  the  Conference  of  the  Commission  on 
Church  and  Country  Life  which  was  held  in  Columbus  in  191 5  and 
through  modern  country  church  literature,  he  had  become  familiar.  He 
asserts  that  without  the  modern  program  and  conception  of  the  function 
of  the  country  church,  success  would  have  been  impossible. 

5.  The  Church  as  a  Force  for  Righteousness 

In  the  work  at  Ashley  and  Ontario  we  have  seen  the  adoption  of  a  good 
program  accompanied  by  improvement  in  the  moral  tone  and  religious 
atmosphere  of  the  communities.  There  are  many  other  communities 
where  a  similar  program  has  been  carried  out,  with  the  same  results. 
These  cases  constitute  a  fairly  conclusive  demonstration  that  the  varied 
commimity  life  which  is  stimulated  and  made  possible  by  the  modern 
country  church  program  is  the  normal  one,  and  that  without  these  various 
activities  general  moral  and  religious  health  is  impossible. 

The  leadership  of  a  modern  country  church  minister  brought  about 


OTHER   PROGRESSIVE   CHURCHES  83 

just  such  an  improvement  in  the  community  life  of  Old  Fort.  This 
pastor  came  to  realize  the  needs  of  his  community  by  taking  part  in  the 
Ohio  Rural  Life  Survey.  One  direct  result  of  his  work  is  a  centralized 
agricultural  high  school,  which  will  become  the  means  of  keeping  the  best 
famiHes  on  the  land  instead  of  letting  them  move  to  the  larger  towns 
in  search  of  better  schools  for  the  children.  Once  gone  they  rarely 
return. 

The  young  men  of  Old  Fort,  who  formerly  had  little  to  do  with  the 
church,  are  now  active  in  its  work.  Special  attention  has  been  given,  in 
a  neighboring  parish  served  by  the  same  minister,  to  the  farm  laborers 
and  tenants.  Whereas  formerly  these  people  rarely  went  to  church,  now 
as  large  a  proportion  of  them  take  part  in  the  activities  of  the  church  as  of 
any  other  class.  This  is  an  achievement  of  real  importance.  It  appears 
from  Map  12,  which  is  based  on  data  from  the  United  States  Census, 
that,  in  no  less  than  54  of  the  88  counties  of  Ohio,  more  than  25  per  cent 
of  the  farms  in  the  year  19 10  were  operated  by  tenants.  On  Map  13  it 
appears  that  in  no  less  than  50  counties  the  number  of  farms  operated  by 
tenants  is  increasing.  Here  is  one  of  the  great  obstacles  in  the  way  of 
church  progress  in  the  State,  for  it  is  well  known  that  farm  tenants 
usually  take  little  interest  in  the  community  where  they  live,  while  only  a 
small  proportion  of  them  are  members  of  the  church.  Until  reform  in  the 
system  of  land  tenure  can  be  brought  to  pass  through  legislation,  it  is 
most  important  that  the  church  shall  give  special  attention  to  the  tenant 
families. 


Map  i: 


84 


Map  13 


85 


86  SIX   THOUSAND  COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

Success  in  tUs  parish,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the  minister,  is 
due  to  the  program  brought  to  light  by  the  modern  country  church  move- 
ment. Indeed,  we  have  observed  no  notably  progressive  country  churches 
in  small  communities  where  the  new  country  church  program  has  not 
been  an  essential  factor  of  success.    Lakeville  is  a  case  in  point. 

In  the  village  of  Lakeville,  as  in  a  large  proportion  of  Ohio  rural  com- 
munities, opportunities  for  wholesome  recreation  were  few.  The  church 
not  only  felt  no  responsibility  for  providing  a  better  environment  for  the 
young  people,  but  looked  upon  matters  which  have  to  do  with  recreation, 
entertainment,  and  physical  development  as  foreign  to  it.  To  give  them 
attention  was  regarded  as  beneath  its  dignity.  This  attitude,  both  here 
and  in  a  large  proportion  of  the  rural  churches,  has  been  responsible  in  no 
small  degree  for  a  general  moral  laxness  in  communities,  and  often  for  the 
separation  of  the  young  people  from  the  church. 

The  moral  and  social  conditions  in  Lakeville  have  been  revolutionized 
by  a  resident  minister  in  three  years.  His  conception  of  his  work  and  the 
methods  he  used  did  not  differ  materially  from  those  of  the  pastors  of 
Ashley,  Ontario,  and  Old  Fort.  Every  wholesome  feature  of  community 
life  was  regarded  by  him  as  a  matter  of  interest  to  the  church.  Thus,  to 
promote  a  deeper  interest  in  agriculture,  lecturers  and  demonstrators 
upon  various  phases  of  it  were  invited  into  the  community. 

Under  the  leadership  of  this  minister  a  wholesome,  normal,  interesting 
life,  leading  to  the  high  development  of  the  young  people,  and  a  marked 
increase  in  the  general  happiness  of  the  community,  has  been  brought  to 
pass.  The  excellent  auditorium  of  the  consolidated  school  was  made  the 
social  center  of  the  community.  The  pastor  and  the  members  of  his 
church  were  the  initiators  and  chief  supporters  of  the  program  of  recrea- 
tion, instruction,  and  entertainment  which  was  carried  out  largely  in  this 
building.  Although  in  Lakeville  the  church  wisely  kept  itself  in  the 
background  in  much  of  its  work,  its  activities  were  none  the  less  effective, 
while  this  policy  also  reacted  favorably  upon  the  church  itself. 

Although  there  were  two  churches  yoked  together  in  this  field,  they 


OTHER  PROGRESSIVE   CHURCHES  87 

were  but  a  mile  and  a  half  apart,  and  the  parish  was  therefore  compact. 
Consequently  the  pastor  could  and  did  make  much  of  his  pastoral  work. 
The  close  touch  of  the  minister  with  the  members  of  his  church  and  com- 
munity greatly  added  to  the  effectiveness  of  the  evangelistic  services 
which  he  held,  for  he  befriended  those  who  had  need  of  friends.  Hence 
there  was  not  only  a  large  increase  in  membership,  but  the  results  of  it 
promised  to  be  of  a  durable  character. 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  minister  was  pastor  of  all  the  churches  in  the 
community  and  so  encountered  none  of  the  difficulties  which  come  from 
interchurch  competition. 

The  kind  of  community  service  which  is  illustrated  at  Ashley,  Ontario, 
Old  Fort,  White  Cottage,  and  Lakeville  offers  abundant  opportunity  to  a 
young  man  of  good  equipment  for  using  his  knowledge  and  native  ability, 
and  should  therefore  attract  a  better  type  of  man  to  the  rural  ministry. 
The  church  as  a  whole  should  be  active  in  presenting  it  to  young  men,  for 
the  purpose  of  getting  the  best  of  them  to  enhst  in  it.  The  conservation 
of  the  high  character  of  our  rural  population  depends  on  just  such  work. 


CHAPTER  IX 

AGRICULTURAL  COOPERATION  A  MUCH  NEEDED   SECULAR   ORGANIZATION 

No  program  for  the  conservation  and  improvement  of  rural  life  will 
succeed  unless  it  provides  for  the  successful  promotion  of  cooperative 
agricultural  business  organization.  Even  if  all  the  reforms  we  have  sug- 
gested are  made,  the  need  to  stimulate,  assist,  and  guide  the  business 
organization  of  farmers  will  still  remain.  Strong  modern  country  churches 
will  not  flourish  in  unprogressive  communities  whose  business  is  not 
successful. 

Rural  business  must  be  effectively  organized  to  enable  the  farmers  to 
get  a  just  money  return  for  the  service  they  give.  A  sound  economic 
basis  for  a  more  attractive  rural  Hfe  can  be  provided  in  no  other  way. 
Through  training  and  experience  in  successful  cooperative  enterprises, 
farmers  may  achieve  a  greater  degree  of  soUdarity,  and  acquire  a  larger 
share  in  the  direction  and  control  of  industrial,  political,  and  economic 
life  of  the  Nation.  With  it  will  come  larger  respect  for  rural  occupations, 
an  added  prestige  and  attractiveness  to  agricultural  life,  and  the  chance  of 
real  success  for  the  modern  country  church. 

The  field  of  agricultural  cooperation  cannot  be  filled  by  any  govern- 
ment agency.  However  excellent  the  provisions  of  the  Smith-Lever  bill, 
under  which  an  agricultural  adviser  will  be  placed  in  every  county  in  the 
United  States,  however  valuable  the  instruction  and  advice  of  the  State 
Agricultural  Colleges,  when  the  Government  and  the  churches  have  done 
all  that  can  reasonably  be  expected  of  them,  the  task  of  organizing  rural 
business  will  remain  undone  until  it  is  accompHshed  by  the  farmers  them- 
selves, acting  through  associations  of  their  own  which  are  fonnally  allied 
with  neither  church  nor  government. 

88 


AGRICULTURAL   COOPERATION   MUCH   NEEDED  89 

Conclusive  evidence  on  this  point  is  supplied  by  more  than  fifty  years 
of  experience  in  Europe,  and  by  somewhat  less  in  the  United  States. 
Within  the  past  five  years  an  attempt  to  promote  cooperative  agricul- 
tural business  organization  has  been  made  by  the  National  Government. 
It  failed,  in  general,  because  the  Government  cannot  successfully  under- 
take such  work,  and  in  particular  because  special  interests  which  were 
making  large  profits  by  the  exploitation  of  farmers  had  laws  passed  which 
effectually  defeated  the  attempt.  Within  the  past  three  years  agricul- 
tural agents  of  the  Government  in  Ohio  who  attempted  to  promote  a 
cooperative  movement  among  farmers  were  forced  by  similar  interests  to 
abandon  the  work  or  leave  the  county  where  they  were  employed.  It  is 
well  known  that  the  faculties  of  certain  State  Agricultural  colleges, 
though  fully  aware  of  the  need  for  sound  cooperative  agricultural  busi- 
ness, do  not  attempt  to  give  instructions  in  its  principles  because  of  the 
effective  opposition  they  anticipate  from  persons  and  corporations  whose 
business  makes  their  interests  hostile  to  those  of  the  farmer. 

If  the  Government  cannot  meet  the  whole  need,  no  more  can  the 
churches.  Business  cooperation,  which  they  should  encourage  but  can- 
not supply,  is  indispensable.  For  more  than  fifty  years  churches  and 
clergymen  in  Europe  have  been  rendering  most  effective  service  in  the 
promotion  of  cooperative  agricultural  organization  in  business.  In 
America  likewise  they  can  and  should  be  of  essential  help  in  the  same 
good  work,  for  the  principles  of  successful  agricultural  business  are  in 
close  harmony  with  Christian  ethics.  Moreover,  the  social  and  moral 
effects  of  cooperative  business  on  communities  and  individuals  are  of  a 
most  favorable  character.  In  the  year  1913  Mr.  Gill  was  present  at  a 
meeting  of  representatives  of  government  agricultural  departments  of 
fifteen  nations,  where  it  was  asserted  that  agricultural  cooperation  was 
the  appUcation  of  Christianity  to  the  business  of  the  farm. 

Rural  business,  however,  should  not  be  organically  allied  with  the 
church  any  more  than  it  should  be  with  the  State.  While  the  ministers 
and  churches  may  do  much  to  educate  the  farmers  in  regard  to  coopera- 


QO  SIX   THOUSAND    COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

lion,  to  interpret  it,  to  increase  the  good  results  of  it,  and  in  many  ways 
give  valuable  assistance  to  it,  the  movement  for  cooperation  can  only  be 
made  successful  when  promoted  by  voluntary  secular  organizations 
entirely  independent  both  of  church  and  state. 

Cooperation  is  most  needed  where  the  people  are  poorest.  In  such 
districts  it  is  easiest  to  inaugurate  it,  and  then  by  demonstration  to  show 
the  high  and  important  character  of  its  benefits.  From  the  poorer 
regions  it  tends  to  spread  into  the  richer  ones  and  in  this  way  to  diffuse 
itself  widely. 

Not  long  ago  it  was  found 'that  farmers  in  Pike  County  were  selling 
their  eggs  to  merchants  for  i6  cents  a  dozen  when  in  the  towns  nearby 
the  market  price  was  25  cents.  Almost  the  entire  potato  crop  of  this 
county  in  1916  was  handled  by  middlemen  at  a  profit  of  more  than 
100  per  cent.  Fruit  raising  could  be  made  most  profitable  in  large  parts  of 
Ohio  which  at  present  are  not  prosperous,  but  without  cooperative  or- 
ganization the  difficulty  of  marketing  fruit  is  very  great.  In  the  pur- 
chase of  farm  implements,  fertilizers,  and  other  supplies,  great  savings  to 
the  farmers  are  undoubtedly  possible. 

There  are  few  regions  where  cooperative  organization  is  more  needed, 
and  would  be  more  likely  to  succeed,  if  properly  directed,  than  in  south- 
eastern Ohio.  It  would  not  only  increase  the  economic  prosperity  of  this 
region,  but  it  would  exert  also  a  most  wholesome  moral  and  social  effect, 
whereby  the  work  of  the  church  would  be  accelerated.  The  constant 
application  of  the  principles  of  brotherhood  in  everyday  business  is  an 
influence  of  the  highest  value,  and  it  cannot  safely  be  neglected  as  a  means 
for  the  Christianizing  of  rural  society. 


PART  II 

TABULAR    SUMMARIES   AND   MAPS 


CHAPTER  I 

GEOGRAPHICAL  DISTRIBUTION  OF  THE   DENOMINATIONS 

It  appears  that  of  the  6,060  churches  in  the  1,170  strictly  rural  town- 
ships of  Ohio  no  less  than  1,793,  or  nearly  30  per  cent,  are  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  denomination  (see  Table  D  and  Maps  14-25);  521  are 
of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ;  396  are  Presbyterian;  379  are  Baptist, 
including  Free  Will,  Free,  and  Missionary;  367  Disciples;  362  Lutheran; 
248  Roman  Cathohc;  228  Christian;  211  Methodist  Protestant;  175  Re- 
formed; 135  Congregational;  129  Evangelical  Association;  113  Brethren 
or  German  Baptists;  95  Radical  United  Brethren;  92  Christian  Union; 
84  Societies  of  Friends;  and  77  United  Presbyterian.  None  of  the  other 
denominations  has  more  than  i  per  cent  of  the  total  number. 

The  denominations  are  represented  in  about  the  same  proportion  in 
the  suburban  rural  districts. 

TABLE   D 


Number  of  Churches  in  Each  Denomination? 


Denomination  Strictly 

rural 
township. 

Total 6060 . 

Methodist  Episcopal 1793 . 

United  Brethren  in  Christ 521. 

Presbyterian 396 . 

Baptist  (Including  Free,  Free  Will 

and  Missionary) 379. 

Disciples  of  Christ 367 . 

Lutheran 362 . 

Catholic  (Roman) 248 . 

Christian 228 . 

Methodist  Protestant 211. 


100 
29.6 
8.6 
6.5 

6.2 
6. 
6. 
4.1 
3.8 
3-5 
93 


Other 
rural 
sections 

582. 
171. 

81. 

29. 

26. 
20. 
49- 
17- 
20. 
19. 


100 
29 
13- 

5. 

4 
3 
8 


All  rural 
churches 

.6642 
.1964 
.  602 
■  425 

405 
387 
411 
265 
248 
230 


100 

29. 

9- 


6.4 


94 


SIX   THOUSAND  COUNTRY   CHURCHES 


TABLE   T) —Continued 


DcNOUINAtlON 


Strictly 

rural 

townships 


Other 

rural 

sections 


Per  cent 


Reformed      (Including      German 
Reformed) 

Congregational 

E\'angelical  Association 

Brethren  (German  Baptist) 

Radical  United  Brethren 

Christian  Union 

Friends 

United  Presbyterian 

Mennonite 

Church  of  God 

German  Evangelical 

African    and   all    Colored    Meth- 
odist Episcopal 

Union 

Protestant  Episcopal 

Universalist 

Colored  Baptist 

Disciples  Non-Progressive 

Free  Methodist 

German  Methodist  Episcopal .... 

United  Evangelical 

Holiness 

fold  Order 

Brethren  \  Progressive 

[  River 

Primitive  Baptist 

Wesleyan  Methodist 

Seventh  Day  Advent 

Advent-Christian 

Calvinist  Methodist 

Reformed  Presbyterian 

Latter  Day  Saints 

Nazarene 

Saints 

United  Baptist 

Christian  Missionary  Alliance. .  .  . 

Greek  Catholic 


175 
135 
129 

113 
95 
92 
84 
77 
56 
54 
48 

40 
40 
39 
39 
38 
32 
27 
27 
27 

25 


13 


2.y 
2.  2 
2.6 
1.9 
1.6 
1-5 
1-4 
1-3 
Less  than  i 


26. 

12. 

14- 

14- 
9- 
4- 
8. 

9- 
9- 
8. 


4-4 
2. 1 
2.4 
2.4 

"  1-5 
.  Less  than  i 
1.4 
1-5 
1-5 
1.4 


1 .  .  Less  than  i 

2.  .  ■' 
10. .  1.7 

2 .  .  Less  than  i 

0.  . 

3-- 

1 .  .  " 

5.. 

o.  .  ■' 

2.  .  " 
6..  I. 

3.. 


o. 
o. 


All  rural 
churches 

Per  cent 

201  .  . 

3- 

147  •• 

2.2 

143- ■ 

2.  2 

127.. 

1.9 

104.  . 

1.6 

96.. 

1-4 

92.  . 

1-4 

86.. 

1-3 

65 .  .  Less  than  i 

62      . 

" 

49  v 

" 

42.  . 

SO-- 

" 

41. 

39-- 

" 

41    - 

" 

33- • 

" 

32.. 

" 

27.. 

" 

29.. 

" 

3I-- 

'' 

24. 

21. 
18. 

13- 

12. 

13- 
8. 
6. 
5- 
5- 
5- 
4- 
4. 


GEOGRAPHICAL  DISTRIBUTION   OF   THE   DENOMINATIONS 


95 


TABLE  D— Continued 


Denomikation 


Strictly 

rural 

townships 


Moravian 4 . 

Christian  Science 3 . 

International      Bible      Students, 

Association 3 . 

Federated 3 . 

Missionary  Church  Association. . .  2. 

Pietist I . 

Primitive  Methodist i . 

Russian  Catholic i . 

Seven  Sleepers i . 

Seventh  Day  Baptist i . 

Slavic  Lutheran i . 

Wengerite i . 

Brothers  Society  of  America. .  .  o . 

Denomination  not   reported  ...  7 


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rural 
sections 


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I08  SrX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY   fllURCHES 

In  Table  E  the  Protestant  churches  are  grouped  according  to  their 
polity.  It  will  be  seen  that  about  i,6oo  have  a  Congregational  form  of 
government,  in  which  authority  rests  in  the  local  church;  that  in  nearly 
1,200  churches  the  polity  is  Presbyterian,  in  which  authority  is  largely 
in  the  local  church,  but  partly  in  a  representative  body  of  several  churches 
grouped  in  districts.  Under  the  title  of  "Episcopal  Bodies"  are  grouped 
denominations  comprising  2,721  churches,  or  niore  than  the  total  number 
of  the  Presbyterian  and  Congregational  combined. 

The  Methodist  Protestant  Churches  are  not  placed  in  either  of  these 
groups  because  their  polity  resembles,  in  some  respects,  that  of  the  Con- 
gregational and  in  others  that  of  the  Episcopal  churches.  Authority 
with  them  rests  largely  in  the  local  church,  which  owns  its  property  and 
has  authority  to  receive  and  dismiss  its  own  members,  but  in  other  re- 
spects resembles  closely  the  churches  of  the  Episcopal  order.  In  the 
fourth  group  are  82  other  churches  or  religious  organizations  which  we 
have  failed  to  classify.  The  Catholic  bodies,  including  Greek  and  Rus- 
sian, number  253. 

Differences  as  to  church  polity  are  not  sufficiently  great  to  constitute  a 
dangerous  obstacle  to  the  progress  of  church  unity  among  the  Protestant 
rural  churches  of  Ohio.  Our  system  of  universities  and  public  schools, 
together  with  the  custom  of  reading  religious  articles,  books,  and  other 
literature  without  regard  to  the  denomination  of  the  author,  is  tending  to 
remove  theological  differences  as  between  denominations.  It  may  be 
said  it  has  already  removed  them  in  the  eleven  denominations  represented 
in  the  Committee  of  Interchurch  Cooperation.  This  is  true  whatever 
differences  may  still  exist  between  individuals. 


GEOGRAPHICAL   DISTRIBUTION   OF   THE    DENOMINATIONS 


109 


TABLE      E 


Churches  Grouped  According  to  Their  Polity 


Congregational  Bodies 

Total i.Ooi 

Baptist,  including  Free,  Free  Will  and 

Missionary 379 

Disciples 367 

Christian 228 

Congregational 135 

Christian  Union 92 

Friends 84 

Mennonite 56 

Church  of  God 54 

Union 40 

Universalist 39 

Colored  Baptist 38 

Disciples,  Non-Progressive 32 

Primitive  Baptist 21 

Seventh  Day  Advent 13 

Advent  Christian 12 

United  Baptist S 

Nazarene .  .  .  .  , 5 

Seventh  Day  Baptist i 

Presbyterian  Bodies 

Total 1,192 

Presbyterian 396 

Lutheran 362 

Reformed,  including  German  Reformed  175 

Brethren  (German  Baptist) 113 

United  Presbyterian 77 

German  Evangelical 48 

Calvinist  Methodist 12 

Reformed  Presbyterian 8 

Slavic  Lutheran i 


Episcopal  Bodies 

Total 2,721 

Methodist  Episcopal i)793 

United  Brethren 521 

Evangelical  Association 129 

Radical  United  Brethren 95 

African  Methodist  Episc()i)al 40 

Protestant  Episcopal 39 

United  Evangelical 27 

...       27 

27 

....       18 
4 


German  Methodist  Episcopal . 

Free  Methodist 

Wesleyan  Methodist 

Moravian 

Primitive  Methodist 


C.\THOLic  Bodies 

Total 253 

Catholic  (Roman) 248 

Greek  Catholic 4 

Russian  Catholic i 

Other  Bodies 

Total 293 

Methodist  Protestant 211 

Holiness 25 

Brethren  (O.  O.,  Prog,  and  River) 21 

Latter  Day  Saints 6 

Saints 5 

Christian  Missionary  Alliance 

Christian  Science 

International  Bible  Students  Association 

Federated  

Missionary  Church  Association 

Pietist 

Wengeritc 

Seven  Sleepers 

Denomination  not  reported 


CHAPTER   II 

TABULAR   SUMMARIES   FOR   THE    STATE 

There  are  in  Ohio  1,343  townships  (see  Table  I)  which  are  wholly  or 
partly  made  up  of  open  country  or  villages  of  less  than  2,500  inhabitants. 
(This  number  of  inhabitants  having  been  selected  by  the  United  States 
Census  as  marking  the  line  between  urban  and  rural,  we  have  necessarily 
followed.)  In  the  strictly  rural  townships  and  the  rural  sections  of  town- 
ships which  are  partly  urban  or  suburban,  there  is  altogether  a  population 
of  more  than  two  million  persons,  and  6,642  churches.  These  figures 
give  us,  on  an  average,  1,516  persons  and  five  rural  churches  to  a  town- 
ship, and  307  persons  to  a  church. 

Of  townships  which  border  on  cities  and  towns  of  more  than  2,500 
persons,  there  are  173.  In  townships  of  this  class  there  are  342,077  per- 
sons and  582  churches,  while  for  each  township  there  are  1,977  persons 
and  three  churches,  or  587  persons  to  a  church.  It  is  presumable  that 
many  persons  in  these  suburban  townships  attend  the  churches  in  the 
neighboring  cities  or  large  towns. 

If  we  subtract  the  suburban  townships  from  the  1,343  mentioned 
above,  there  remain  1,170  townships  which  are  strictly  rural.  Unless 
otherwise  stated  all  deductions  have  been  drawn  exclusively  from  these 
rural  townships.  The  1,170  strictly  rural  townships  contain  nearly 
1,700,000  persons  and  6,060  churches.  They  have,  on  an  average,  1,448 
persons  and  five  churches  to  a  township  and  280  persons  to  a  church. 

Although  there  are  6,060  churches  in  the  1,170  strictly  rural  townships, 
their  membership  records  are  so  often  incomplete  that  satisfactory 
figures  were  found  for  only  4,941  churches.  The  membership  of  3,351  of 
these  churches,  or  68  per  cent,  is  not  more  than  100;  in  2,704,  or  55  per 


TABULAR    SUMMARIES    FOR    THE    STATE  III 

TABLE   I 

Population,  Average  Number  of  Persons  and  Churches,  and  Average  Number  of 
Persons  to  a  Church,  by  Townships 

Strictly  rural  Other  rural  A II  rural 

townships  sections  sections 

Number  of  townships 1,170 173 i,343 

Population  of  rural  townships 1,693,951 342,077 2,036,028 

Number  persons  per  township 1,448 i,977 1,516 

Number  churches  per  township 5 3 5 

Number  of  churches. 6,060 582 6,642 

Number  persons  per  church 280 587 307 

cent,  the  membership  is  not  more  than  75;  while  in  1,817,  o'^  37  P^^  cent, 
the  membership  is  not  more  than  50.    (See  Table  II.) 

In  the  surburban  rural  townships  and  rural  sections  of  townships  con- 
taining cities  and  large  towns,  72  per  cent  of  the  churches  have  a  mem- 
bership of  not  more  than  100,  56  per  cent  of  not  more  than  75,  and  34  per 
cent  of  not  more  than  50.  Altogether,  in  rural  townships  and  rural 
sections  of  other  townships,  there  are  5,392  churches  out  of  6,642  for 
which  membership  data  are  available.  Of  these  3,776,  or  68  per  cent, 
have  a  membership  of  not  more  than  100;  2,956,  or  55  per  cent,  a  mem- 
bership of  not  more  than  75 ;  and  1,860,  or  36  per  cent,  have  a  membership 
of  not  more  than  50. 

The  number  of  churches  in  rural  townships  whose  membership  records 
are  not  available  is  6,060  less  4,941,  or  1,119.  If  we  apply  to  these  also 
the  percentages  just  given  for  the  churches  with  available  membership 
records,  we  find  that  of  the  total  of  6,060  churches  in  the  strictly  rural 
townships,  4,110  have  a  membership  of  not  more  than  100;  3,316  have  a 
membership  of  not  more  than  75;  while  2,227  have  a  membership  of  not 
more  than  50.  Since  the  larger  churches  as  a  rule  are  more  careful  in 
keeping  their  records  than  the  smaller  ones,  the  conclusions  drawn  from 
these  calculations  are  well  within  the  limits  of  truth. 

By  the  same  method  we  find  that  in  the  suburban  rural  townships  and 
rural  sections  of  townships  containing  cities  and  towns  of  more  than 


112  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

2,500  inhabitants,  419  of  the  582  churches  have  a  membership  of  100  or 
less;  325  of  75  or  less;  while  198  churches  have  a  membership  of  50  or 
less.  We  therefore  calculate  that  of  6,642,  or  all  the  rural  churches,  4,529 
or  68  per  cent  have  a  membership  of  not  more  than  100;  3,641,  or  55  per 
cent,  a  membership  of  not  more  than  75;  and  2,425  or  37  per  cent  a  mem- 
bership of  not  more  than  50. 

TABLE   II 
Churches  Classified  According  to  Number  of  their  Members 

^ural  p^,  .^„,       Other  rural     p  All  p^  ^,. 

townships  Percew/  ^^^^^^^^       Percent       ^^^.^^^^      Percent 

No.  churches  whose  membership 

is  reported 4'94i    loo      451    100 5,392 100 

No.  of  these  whose  membershij)  is 

less  than  loi 3,351   67.8 325   72 3,676 68 

No.  of  these  whose  membership  is 

less  than  76 2,704   54.7 252   56 2,956 55 

No.  of  these  whose  membership  is 

less  than  51 1,817  30.7 153  34.  .....  1,860 36 

No.  churches  whose  membership 

data  are  not  available 1,119  18     131   23 1,250 19 

Calculated  minimum  number  of 

churches  whose  membership  is 

less  than  loi 4, no* 68     419* 72 4,529 68 

Calculated  minimum  number  of 

churches  whose  membershij)  is 

less  than  76 3,316* 55      3^5* 5^ 3,641 55 

Calculated  minimum  number  of 

churches  whose  membership  is 

less  than  51 2,227* 37      iQ^* 34 2,425 37 

No.    churches    reporting    whose 

membership  is  from  i  to  25 651   13      45   10 696 13 

No.    churches    rcjiorting    whose 

membership  is  from  26-50 1,116 23      108  .._...    24 1,274 24 

No.    churches    reporting    whose 

membership  is  from  51-75 887   18     99   22 986 18 

*Note:  Reckoned  as  follows:  3351  +  .678  X  niQ  =  4110  325  +    72  X  131  =  419 

2704  +  .547  X  my  =  3316  ?5-'  +    56  X  131  =  3-'5 

1817  +  .367  X  1119  =  2227  153  +  .34  X  131  =  198 


TABULAR    SUMMARIES    FOR    THE    STATE  1 13 

TABLE  U—Conli lined 

Rural  p„,  „„(      Oilier  rural       n„,  ,,„,  All        t,„ 

townships  ^"''""  sc,  lions         ^'^ '«'"         sections      ^'^ ''"' 

No.    churches    reporting    whose 

membership  is  from76-i 00 647      ....    13      73 16 720 i] 

No.    churches    reporting    whose 

membership  is  ici-150 757   15      O2   14 819 15 

No.     churches    reporting    whose 

membership  is  from  151-200.  ...    375   8     32   7 407 8 

No.    churches    reporting    whose 

membership  is  more  than  200.. .  .     458  9      32   7 490 9 

Calculated   number   of   churches 

whose  membership  is  more  than 

200 561   9     40  ....  .     7 601 9 

In  313,  or  27  per  cent,  of  the  strictly  rural  townships,  no  church  has  a 
resident  minister  (see  Table  III);  in  575,  or  39  per  cent  of  the  villages, 
no  church  has  a  resident  minister;  and  in  4,007,  or  66  per  cent,  of  the 
churches,  there  is  no  resident  minister.  Only  982  churches,  or  16  per 
cent,  have  the  full  time  service  of  a  minister;  1,581  churches,  or  26  per 
cent,  have  one-half  the  service  of  a  minister;  5,026,  or  83  per  cent,  have 
one-half  time  service  or  less;  3,445,  or  57  per  cent,  have  one-third  time 
service  or  less;  2,320,  or  39  per  cent,  have  one-fourth  time  service  or  less; 
while  721,  or  12  per  cent  of  the  6,060  churches  in  the  strictly  rural  town- 
ships have  no  regular  service  of  a  minister  at  all. 

The  percentages  do  not  materially  differ  in  the  suburban  townships. 
In  the  combined  total  of  1,343  rural  townships  and  suburban  townships 
which  contain  sections  of  open  country  and  villages  of  less  than  2,500 
inhabitants,  we  find  that  335,  or  25  per  cent,  of  the  townships  have  no 
churches  served  by  a  resident  minister;  that  in  634,  or  40  per  cent,  of  the 
villages  there  is  no  resident  minister;  that  4,431,  or  67  per  cent,  of  the 
churches  have  no  resident  minister;  that  only  1,065  churches,  or  16  per 
cent,  have  the  full  time  service  of  a  minister;  that  1,766,  or  27  per  cent, 
have  one-half  the  service  of  a  minister;  that  5,521,  or  84  per  cent,  have 
one-half  time  service  or  less;  that  3,755,  or  57  per  cent,  have  one-third 


114  SIX   THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

time  service  or  less;  that  2,518,  or  38  per  cent,  have  one-fourth  time 
service  or  less;  while  755,  or  11  per  cent,  of  the  6,642  country  churches  of 
Ohio,  have  no  regular  service  of  a  minister  at  all. 

TABLE  nr 

Amount  of  Ministerial  Service  by  Townships,  Villages  and  Churches 

Rural  Per      Other  rural  Per  A 11  rural        Per 

lownsliipi        cent         sections  cent  sections        cent 

No.   townships  whose   churches  iirc 

without  resident  ministers 313 27 22  12 335 25 

No.  villages  which  ha\e  a  resident 

minister 901 61 54  48 955 60 

No.     villages    without    a    resident 

minister 575 39 58. 5 52 634 40 

No.  churches  with  resident  minister. .  .  .  2,053 34 158  28 2,211 7,7, 

No.  churches  without  resident  minis- 
ter  4,007 66 424  74 4,431 67 

No.  churches  with  full  time  service 

of  a  minister 9S2 16 83  14 1,065 16 

No.  churches  with  yi  time  service  of 

a  minister i,5''^i 26 185  32 1,766 27 

No.  churches  with  yi  time  service  of 

a  minister  or  less 5,o2() 83 495  85 5,521 84 

No.  churches  with  V3  time  service  of 

a  minister  or  less 3,445 57 310  53 3,755 5^-5 

No.  churches  with  }4  time  service  of 

a  minister  or  less 2,320 39 198  34 2,518 38 

No.  churches  with  no  regular  service 

of  a  minister 721 12 62  ii 755 11 

No.  churches  with   V3   t'Tie  service 

of  a  minister 1,125 19 "2  19 1,237 19 

No.  churches  with  }i  time  service 

of  a  minister 970 16 96  16 1,066 16 

No.  churches  for  which  data  are  not 

available 52 i 4  i 56 i 


Of  the  6,060  churches  in  the  wholly  rural  townships,  3,253,  or  54  per 
cent,  are  in  villages  whose  inhabitants  number  from  51  to  2,500  persons, 
while  2,807,  "^  46  P^^  cent,  arc  in  the  open  country.    (See  Table  IV.)    In 


TABULAR   SUMMARIES   FOR   THE    STATE  II 5 

the  suburban  rural  townships  198,  or  34  per  cent,  of  the  churches  are  in 
villages  containing  from  51  to  2,500  persons,  while  384,  or  66  per  cent,  are 
in  the  open  country. 

Of  the  6,642  country  churches  in  Ohio,  therefore,  3,451,  or  52  per  cent, 
are  in  villages  containing  from  51  to  2,500  inhabitants,  and  3,191,  or  48 
per  cent,  in  the  open  country. 

In  the  strictly  rural  districts,  1,207,  ^^  20  per  cent,  of  the  churches  are 
in  villages  or  towns  of  moderate  size,  having  from  501  to  2,500  inhabitants, 
while  2,046,  or  34  per  cent,  are  in  small  villages  of  from  51  to  500.  No 
less  than  4,853,  or  80  per  cent,  of  the  churches  in  the  strictly  rural  dis- 
tricts are  either  in  the  open  country  or  in  the  small  villages  of  500  in- 
habitants or  less.  In  addressing  ourselves  to  the  rural  church  problem, 
therefore,  we  are  almost  exclusively  concerned  with  the  smaller  villages 
and  the  open  country. 

TABLE   IV 
Number  of  Churches  in  Villages  and  in  the  Open  Country 

Rural  Per        Other  rural  Per  All  rural  Per 

townships  cent  sections  cent  sections  cent 

No.  churches  in  villages  containing 

from  51  to  2,500  persons 3,253 54 198 34 3,451 52 

No.  churches  in  open  country 2,807 46 384 66 3,191 48 

No.  churches  in  villages  or  towns 
having  from  501  to  2,500  in- 
habitants  1,207 20 76 13 1,283 19 

No.    churches   in    villages    having 

from  51  to  500  inhabitants 2,046 34 122 21 2,168 a 

No.  churches  in  open  country  and  in 
villages  having  less  than  501  in- 
habitants  4,853 80 506 87 5,359 81 

We  have  assumed  50  persons  as  the  Hne  which  separates  a  small 
village  from  the  open  country,  just  as  the  United  States  Census  has  as- 
sumed 2,500  persons  as  the  lower  limit  of  the  town.  In  rural  Ohio  there 
are  1,477  villages  whose  inhabitants  number  51  to  2,500  persons.  (See 
Table  V.)    Of  these,  673,  or  46  per  cent,  have  from  51  to  200  inhabitants; 


Il6  SIX    THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

487,  or  33  per  cent,  have  from  201  to  500  inhabitants;  while  317,  or  21 
per  cent,  have  more  than  500  persons. 

Of  the  smallest  villages,  or  those  of  51  to  200  persons,  234,  or  35  per 
cent,  have  one  or  more  ministers  living  near  the  church  he  serves  and 
270  ministers  in  all;  while  440,  or  65  per  cent,  have  no  resident  ministers 
whatever. 

In  the  487  country  villages  whose  inhabitants  number  from  201  to  500 
persons,  360,  or  74  per  cent,  have  one  or  more  ministers  and  527  ministers 
in  all,  while  there  are  127,  or  26  per  cent,  without  resident  ministers.  Of 
the  317  villages  whose  inhabitants  number  more  than  500  persons,  308,  or 
97  per  cent,  have  one  or  more  resident  pastors  and  altogether  896  minis- 
ters— (which  is  53  per  cent  of  the  whole  number  of  ministers  living  in 
villages),  while  only  9,  or  3  per  cent,  are  without  any  ministers  at  all. 

Of  the  1,477  country  villages  of  all  sizes,  901,  or  61  per  cent,  have  one 
or  more  resident  ministers  and  in  all  1,693  ministers,  while  576,  or  39  per 
cent,  of  the  villages  have  no  minister  living  in  them. 

These  1,477  villages  have  only  3,253,  or  54  per  cent,  of  the  churches, 
but  they  have  1,693,  ^^  ^^  P^^^  cent,  of  the  ministers;  while  the  open 
country,  with  2,807,  0^  4^  P^^  cent,  of  the  churches,  has  only  360,  or 
18  per  cent,  of  the  resident  ministers.  More  than  87  per  cent  of  the 
open  country  churches,  or  2,447  ^^  them,  are  without  a  resident  minister. 

In  addition  to  the  ministers  here  included,  there  are  about  350  who 
do  not  live  near  any  one  of  their  churches,  but  for  the  most  part  in  the 
cities  and  towns.    This  number  includes  many  student  preachers. 

On  Map  26,  page  117,  the  distribution  of  the  villages  is  represented 
graphically. 


Map  2G 


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SIX   THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 


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TABULAR    SUMMARIES   FOR   THE    STATE  II9 

It  has  not  been  possible  to  collect  full  data  as  to  the  length  of  the 
rural  minister's  service.  But  the  Conference  Records  give  these  data  for 
the  ministers  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  churches.  The  terms  of 
service  of  these  ministers  are  not  more  brief  than  those  in  most  of  the 
other  denominations. 

In  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Ohio  there  were,  at  the  time  of 
the  Annual  Conference  in  the  autumn  of  191 7,  664  pastors  of  country 
churches  (see  Table  VI);  490,  or  74  per  cent  of  them,  were  about  to 
begin  their  first  or  second  year's  ser\'ice  in  their  charges;  only  174,  or  26 
per  cent,  had  had  two  years'  acquaintance  with  their  parishes;  318,  or 
48  per  cent,  were  beginning  their  first  year  of  service  in  their  charges; 
172,  or  26  per  cent,  were  beginning  their  second  year;  no,  or  16  per  cent, 
were  beginning  their  third  year;  while  there  were  only  64,  or  less  than  10 
per  cent,  who  had  been  as  long  as  three  years  in  the  parishes  they  were 
serving.  Only  8,  or  a  little  more  than  i  per  cent,  had  served  as  long  as 
five  years  in  their  parishes,  while  only  one  man  had  served  more  than 
seven  years. 

TABLE   VI 
Terms  of  Service  of  Methodist  Episcopal  Country  Ministers,  191 7 

State  .Per  Ohio  West  Ohio     Northeast  Ohio 

oj  Ohio  cent  Conference        Conference  Conference 

Total  number  of  ministers 664 100 144 226 294 

No.  beginning  ist  or  2nd  year  of 

service  in  their  charges 490 74 115 161 214 

No.   beginning   their    ist   year   of 

ser\ace  in  their  charges 318 48 78 97 143 

No.   beginning   their   2nd   year   of 

ser\'ice  in  their  charges 172 26 37 64 71 

No.   beginning   their   3rd   j'ear   of 

serv'ice  in  their  charges no 16 20 37 53 

No.  who  have  been  two  years  or 

more  in  their  charges 1 74 26 29 65 80 

No.  who  had  served  three  j-ears  or 

more  in  their  present  charges 64 10 9 28 27 

No.  who  had  served  four  years  or 

more  in  their  present  charges 18 3 3 2 13 


I20  SIX    THOUSAND    COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

TABLE  VI — Continued 

Stale  Per  Ohio  West  Ohio     Northeast  Ohio 

of  Ohio  cent  Conference        Conference  Conference 

No.  who  had  served  five  years  or 

more  in  their  present  charges 8 i 2 . i S 

No.  who  had  served  six  years  or  Less 

more  in  their  present  charges 3 than o o 3 

one 
No.  who  had  served  seven  years  or 

more  in  their  present  charges i "     o o i 

No.  who  had  served  eight  years  or 

more  in  their  present  charges i "     o o i 


In  Table  VII  it  appears  that  in  2  of  the  1,170  strictly  rural  townships 
there  is  a  church  for  each  99  persons  or  less;  that  in  227  townships  there 
are  from  100  to  199  persons  to  a  church;  that  in  446  there  are  from  200  to 
299  persons;  that  in  270  townships  there  are  from  300  to  399;  that  in  122 
townships  there  are  from  400  to  499 ;  that  in  53  townships  there  are  from 
500  to  599;  and  that  in  45  townships  there  are  600  persons  or  more  to  a 
church. 

In  other  words,  in  675,  or  58  per  cent,  of  the  townships,  there  are  less 
than  300  persons,  men,  women,  and  children,  to  a  church;  in  945,  or  81 
per  cent,  of  the  townships,  there  are  less  than  400;  in  1,067,  or  91  per 
cent,  there  are  less  than  500;  while  in  103,  or  only  9  per  cent,  there  are 
more  than  500  persons  to  a  church. 


TABULAR    SUMMARIES    FOR    THE    STATE  121 

TABLE   VII 

Average  Number  of  Persons  to  a  Church  ix  1,170  Rural  Townships 

''"Tadi«r//"'"'"'  No.  of  townships  Percent 

1-99 2 Less  than  i 

100-199 * .  .    227 19 

200-299 446 3S 

300-399 270 23 

400-499 122 10 

500-599 53 5 

More  than  599 45 4 

Townships  without  any  church 5 Less  than  i 

Less  than  300  to  a  church 675 58 

Less  than  400  to  a  church 945 81 

Less  than  500  to  a  church i  ,067 91 

More  than  500  to  a  church 103 9 

In  Table  VIII  a  comparison  is  made  between  city  and  country.  Ac- 
cording to  the  United  States  Census  of  1910  the  population  of  Ohio 
numbered  4,767,121,  the  churches  9,890,  or  482  persons  to  a  church.  Ac- 
cording to  the  data  gathered  in  this  survey  in  the  1,170  strictly  rural 
townships  the  churches  number  6,060.  In  1910  the  population  in  these 
townships  nimibered  1,693,894.  Assuming  that  there  has  been  no  change 
in  the  population  since  1910,  there  is  now  one  church  for  each  280  persons. 
But  from  1900  to  1910  there  was  a  decKne  of  more  than  3  per  cent  in  the 
population  of  these  townships.  If  we  assume  that  this  decline  has  con- 
tinued since  1910  there  are  to-day  on  the  average  less  than  280  men, 
women,  and  children,  church  people  and  non-church  people,  to  give  and 
do  all  that  must  be  given  and  done  for  each  country  church  in  Ohio.  In 
such  a  state  of  facts,  poverty  and  weakness  are  inevitable. 

Upon  the  same  assumption  of  no  change  in  population  or  number  of 
churches  since  1910,  there  are  in  the  173  suburban  townships  342,077 
persons  and  582  churches,  or  587  persons  to  a  church,  while  in  the  large 
towns  and  cities  there  are  2,731,150  persons  and  only  3,248  churches,  or 
841  persons  to  a  church. 


122  SIX  THOUSAND   COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

As  compared  with  the  city  church  the  country  church  obviously  has  a 
very  much  smaller  opportunity  to  enlarge  its  attendance  and  increase  its 
support  and  membership  until  some  method  of  combining  country 
churches  shall  have  been  put  into  successful  operation. 

TABLE   VIII 
Average  Number  of  Persons  to  a  Church 

Slate  T.iyn  strictly  1 7, j  suburban  Large  towns 

of  Ohio  rural  townships  townships  and  cities 

Population 4,767,121 1,693,894 342,077. . 2,731,150 

No.  of  churches 9,89° 6,060.  . 582 3,248 

No.  of  persons  to  a  church ...  482 280 587 841 

Complete  data  for  ministers'  salaries  are  not  available,  but  the  amount 
of  the  minister's  pay  is  indicated  by  the  figures  in  the  official  records  of 
the  two  denominations  which  have  the  largest  number  of  rural  churches. 
There  were  in  191 7,  688  pastors  of  rural  churches  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  (See  Table  IX.)  These  received,  on  an  average, 
$993  per  year,  or  $857  and  free  use  of  parsonage.  Six  hundred  and  sixty- 
two  ministers,  or  96  per  cent,  received  less  than  $1,500  per  year;  513,  or 
75  per  cent,  received  less  than  $1,200  per  year;  while  303,  or  44  per  cent, 
received  less  than  $1,000. 

In  the  United  Brethren  Church,  according  to  the  records  of  its  Con- 
ferences, in  191 7  there  were  188  pastors  of  rural  churches.  (See  Table  X.) 
Their  average  salary  was  $787,  or  $680  and  free  use  of  parsonage;  not  one 
received  as  much  as  $1,500  salary;  171,  or  all  but  17,  received  less  than 
$1,200;  while  135,  or  72  per  cent,  received  less  than  $1,000. 

Not  only  are  ministers  given  inadequate  pay,  but  the  rate  of  its 
increase  in  relation  to  the  increase  in  the  cost  of  living  gives  no  promise  of 
its  becoming  adequate. 

In  the  Ohio  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  the  average 
salary  of  the  country  minister  in  1905  was  $733,  including  the  estimated 
rental  value  of  parsonage,  while  in  19 15  it  was  $915,  making  an  increase  of 


TABULAR   SUMMARIES   FOR  THE    STATE 


123 


.$182,  or  25  per  cent,  in  ten  years.  During  the  same  period,  however,  ac- 
cording to  data  supplied  by  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics, 
the  retail  prices  of  food  consumed  by  the  ordinary  workingman's  family 
in  the  nation  increased  no  less  than  37  per  cent. 

It  is  probable,  on  the  other  hand,  that  the  farmers  have  a  constantly 
increasing  abihty  to  pay,  for  in  the  ten-year  period  from  1900  to  19 10 
thete  was,  according  to  the  United  States  Census  reports,  an  increase  in 
the  total  value  of  farm  property  in  the  State  of  nearly  60  per  cent. 


TABLE   IX 
Salaries  of  Methodist  Episcopal  Country  Ministers,  1917 


No.  of 
ministers 


State 688. 

Ohio  Conference 151 . 

West  Ohio  Conference 237 

Northeast  Ohio  Conference 300 . 


Average 
salary 

(including 

estimated 
rental 
value  of 

parsonage) 

■  ■     $993  ■ 


)  1 ,004 . 
$995  ■ 


No.  oj 
charges 

giving 
salaries 
less  than 

$1,500 

.  .662.  . 
..145.. 
• .230. . 
..287.. 


Per 

cent 


.96. 
.96. 

.07. 
.96. 


No.  of 
charges 

giving 
salaries 
less  than 
$1,200 


513- 


,184. 
219. 


Per 

cent 


■  /O- 

•73- 
.78. 

73- 


No.  of 
charges 
giving 
salaries 
less  than 
$r,ooo 


■  303  ■ 

■  79. 
.    87. 

■137- 


Per 

cent 


■44 
•52 
■37 
.46 


TABLE  X 
Salaries  of  Country  Ministers,  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  191 7 

.Average 
salaries 

(including  .Salaries  Salaries  .Salaries 

No.  of  estimated  less  llian  Per  less  than  Per  less  than  Per 

ministers  rental  $i.Soo  cent  $1,200  cent  $i,ono  cent 

value  of 
parsonage) 


188. 
63. 


,100. 


State 18S $787. 

Sandusky  Con- 
ference    63 SS66. 

Southeast  Ohio 

Conference  ....  47 $687 47 100. . 

Miami  Conference  -j  2 $779 42 100 .  . 

East  Ohio  Con- 
ference   36 $787 36 100.. 


.171. 

.   58. 

•    43- 
37^ 

33- 


.91. 
.92. 


.91. 

.88. 


135 72 

39 ^>2 

79 


37- 
30- 


..    29. 


.80 


CHAPTER  III 


TABULAR  SUMMARY   BY   COUNTIES 


Table  F  is  a  summary  of  the  principal  facts  disclosed  by  this  investiga- 
tion. These  facts  are  given  for  the  strictly  rural  townships  in  each  of 
the  different  counties.  They  do  not  include  the  urban  or  suburban  town- 
ships. Being  intended  to  present  the  facts  only  as  to  the  rural  part  of 
each  county,  they  should  not  be  used  as  representing  entire  counties  or 
the  State  as  a  whole. 

In  the  ten-year  period  from  1900  to  19 10  there  was  a  decline  in  the 
population  of  the  strictly  rural  townships  of  3.6  per  cent.  In  only  21 
counties  out  of  the  total  of  88  did  the  rural  townships  increase  in  popula- 
tion, and  most  of  these  are  in  mining  and  manufacturing  regions.  In  the 
strictly  agricultural  parts  of  Frankhn,  Fairfield,  Miami  and  Licking 
Counties  there  was  an  increase  of  from  2  to  5  per  cent,  in  Medina  and 
Wayne  of  less  than  i  per  cent.  In  the  other  67  counties  there  was  a  de- 
cline, ranging  all  the  way  from  i  per  cent  in  Erie,  Geauga,  and  Hamil- 
ton to  17  per  cent  in  Paulding.  The  average  population  of  the  strictly 
rural  townships  varies  from  904  in  Knox  County  to  2,743  in  Miami,  and 
averages  1,448  for  the  State. 

The  niunber  of  rural  churches  for  a  county  varies  from  32  in  Sandusky 
and  Lake  Counties  to  130  in  Washington.  The  number  of  churches  to  a 
township  is  five  for  the  State,  but  varies  from  3  in  Portage,  Huron,  Dela- 
ware, Geauga,  Cuyahoga,  and  Ashtabula  Counties  to  9  in  Allen  and 
Stark.  The  average  number  of  persons  to  each  country  church  is  280  for 
the  State,  but  varies  from  182  in  Vinton  County  to  433  in  Cuyahoga. 
The  mmiber  of  open  country  churches  varies  from  5  in  Butler  County  to 
82  in  Washington. 

124 


TABULAR   SUMMARY   BY   COUNTIES  I25 

The  number  of  churches  with  a  resident  minister  varies  from  9  in 
Jackson  County  to  45  in  Wood.  The  number  of  churches  without  a 
resident  minister  varies  from  17  in  Lake  County  to  103  in  Washington. 
Those  with  full  time  service  of  a  minister  vary  in  number  from  i  in 
Pickaway,  Noble,  and  Jackson  Counties  to  25  in  Columbiana  and  Wayne. 
In  one  county,  Wyandot,  there  are  no  churches  without  some  part  of  a 
minister's  time.    In  Clermont  County  there  are  no  less  than  30  of  them. 

TABLE  F 

Summary  by  Counties  of  Data  for  the  1,170  Strictly  Rural  Townships 

(Excluding  townships  in  which  the  population  is  urban,  in  which  are  villages  of  more  than 
2,500  inhabitants  or  in  which  are  parts  of  large  town  or  city  parishes,  and  those  which 
border  on  cities  and  large  towns.) 

1.  Population  for  1910. 

2.  Population  for  1900. 

3.  Per  cent  increase  (+)  or  decrease  (— ). 

4.  No.  of  strictly  rural  townships. 

5.  Average  No.  of  persons  to  a  township. 

6.  No.  of  churches. 

7.  Average  No.  of  churches  to  a  township. 

8.  Average  No.  of  persons  to  a  chqrch. 

9.  No.  of  churches  with  a  resident  minister. 

10.  No.  of  churches  without  a  resident  minister. 

11.  No.  of  churches  with  full  time  ser\ace  of  a  minister. 

12.  No.  of  churches  with  }4  oi  a.  minister's  service. 

13.  No.  of  churches  with  ^/^  of  a  minister's  service. 

14.  No.  of  churches  with  }4  of  a  minister's  service. 

15.  No.  of  churches  with  less  than  >^  of  a  minister's  service. 

16.  No.  of  churches  with  no  regular  service  of  a  minister. 

17.  No.  of  churches  for  which  ministerial  service  data  are  not  available. 

18.  No.  of  churches  with  from  i  to  25  members. 

19.  No.  of  churches  with  from  26  to  50  members. 

20.  No.  of  churches  with  from  51  to  75  members. 

21.  No.  of  churches  with  from  76  to  100  members. 

22.  No.  of  churches  with  from  loi  to  150  members. 


126 


SIX  THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 


23.  No.  o 

24.  No.  o 

25.  No.  o 

26.  No.  o 

27.  No.  o: 


28. 
29. 
30- 
31- 
32. 
33- 
34- 


No.  o 
No.  o 
No.  o 

No.  o: 
No.  o; 
No.  o: 
No.  o 


35.  No.  o 

36.  No.  o 
No.  o 
No.  o 
No.  o 


37- 
38. 
39- 


40.  No.  o 

41.  No.  o 

42.  No.  o 

43.  No.  o 

44.  No.  o 

45.  No.  o 


TABLE  F— Continued 

churches  with  from  151  to  200  members, 
churches  with  more  than  200  members, 
churches  whose  membership  is  not  reported. 

churches  in  villages  containing  from  51  to  2,500  inhabitants. 

churches  in  the  open  country  (including  villages  of  less  than  51  inhabitants). 

townships  from  i  to  100  persons  to  a  church, 
townships  with  from  loi  to  200  persons  to  a  church. 
townships  with  from  201  to  300  persons  to  a  church, 
townships  with  from  301  to  400  persons  to  a  church, 
townships  with  from  401  to  500  persons  to  a  church, 
townships  with  from  501  to  600  persons  to  a  church, 
townships  with  more  than  600  persons  to  a  church. 

villages  containing  from  5 1  to  200  inhabitants. 

v-illages  containing  from  5 1  to  200  inhabitants  having  a  resident  minister. 

ministers  resident  in  villages  containing  from  5 1  to  200  inhabitants. 

villages  containing  from  201  to  500  inhabitants. 

villages  containing  from  201  to  500  inhabitants  having  a  resident  minister. 

ministers  resident  in  villages  containing  from  201  to  500  inhabitants. 

villages  of  more  than  500  inhabitants. 

villages  of  more  than  500  inhabitants  having  a  resident  minister. 

ministers  resident  in  villages  of  more  than  500  inhabitants. 

villages  of  201  to  2,500  inhabitants  without  a  church, 
villages  of  51  to  200  inhabitants  withotit  a  church. 


(i) 

(2) 
(3) 

(4) 
(5) 
(6) 
(7) 
(8) 

(9) 

(10) 


Slate 
1,693,951 
1,752,934 
-3-3 

1,170 
1,448 
6,060 

5 
280 

2,053 
4.007 


Adams 

24,755 

26,328 

-8 

14 
1,768 

93 

7 

266 

24 
60 


Allen 
14,820 
15,252 
-5 

7 

2,117 

62 

Q 

237 

25 


Ashland 
15,046 
15,860 
-5 

14 

1,075 

65 

5 

35 
30 


Ashtabula 
24,420 
23,617 
+3-3 


24 

1,018 

78 

3 

313 

36 
42 


Athens 
17,372 
16,353 
+6 


1,579 

76 

7 

229 

16 
60 


Auglaize 

15,803 

16,971 

-7 


1,437 

44 

4 

359 

14 

30 


Belmont 
33,216 
26,003 

+  27.5 

13 

2,555 

96 

7 
352 

30 
66 


TABULAR    SUMMARY   BY   COUNTIES  127 

TABLE  F— Continued 


StaU 

Adams 

Allen 

^iA/an<i 

Ashtabula 

Athens 

Auglaize 

Belmont 

982 

II 

11 

18 

24 

2 

10 

14 

1,581 

15 

21 

24 

19 

2 

10 

27 

1,125 

28 

17 

H 

16 

10 

7 

15 

970 

10 

9 

4 

8 

18 

12 

10 

629 

12 

I 

0 

0 

30 

2 

14 

721 

17 

3 

5 

II 

14 

I 

16 

52 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

651 

12 

6 

5 

15 

19 

0 

7 

1,166 

24 

17 

4 

18 

23 

16 

17 

887 

16 

9 

14 

16 

17 

5 

14 

647 

5 

7 

9 

6 

9 

4 

16 

757 

II 

9 

12 

II 

4 

3 

8 

37S 

4 

8 

6 

3 

0 

2 

8 

458 

7 

6 

5 

5 

0 

5 

13 

1,119 

14 

0 

10 

4 

4 

9 

13 

3.253 

37 

i2 

38 

50 

36 

25 

61 

.  .        2,807 

56 

30 

27 

28 

41 

19 

35 

2 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

227 

I 

2 

3 

4 

7 

0 

2 

446 

8 

4 

6 

6 

3 

6 

4 

270 

4 

I 

3 

8 

0 

2 

I 

122 

0 

0 

2 

3 

0 

1 

5 

53 

I 

0 

0 

I 

I 

I 

0 

45 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

I 

I 

677 

9 

2 

5 

155 

9 

5 

13 

233.5 

I 

I 

3 

6.5 

2 

I 

4 

271 

I 

I 

5 

8 

2 

I 

4 

488 

5 

5 

6 

II 

9 

5 

8 

360 

2 

5 

5 

8 

6 

3 

7 

536 

4 

10 

13 

13 

II 

4 

8 

••       3175 

4 

2 

2 

4 

2 

3 

8 

3075 

4 

2 

2 

4 

2 

3 

7 

896 

14 

9 

10 

II 

4 

6 

18 

4 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

115 

2 

0 

I 

0 

c 

I 

I 

128 


SIX    THOUSANU   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 


Brown 

Builer 

Carroll 

Champaisn 

Clark 

Clermont 

Clinton  Columbiana 

.  .        24,832 

11,045 

15,761 

17,428 

16.435 

-^9,551 

17,465 

19,890 

.  .        28,237 

12,436 

11,854 

18,626 

17,078 

31,610 

18,779 

20,260 

—  12 

—  II 

+33 

-6.4 

-3-5 

-6.7 

-6.9 

—  2 

16 

7 

14 

II 

9 

14 

12 

12 

1,552 

1,578 

1,126 

1,584 

1,826 

2,111 

1,455 

1,657 

79 

36 

58 

60 

56 

119 

52 

69 

5 

5 

4 

5 

6 

8 

4 

6 

314 

307 

272 

290 

293 

249 

336 

288 

22 

16 

21 

23 

22 

32 

26 

32 

57 

20 

37 

37 

34 

87 

26 

37 

10 

9 

5 

12 

14 

13 

22 

25 

23 

13 

19 

20 

II 

31 

9 

19 

14 

8 

13 

II 

15 

16 

5 

9 

14 

0 

12 

6 

10 

14 

6 

6 

10 

2 

5 

4 

I 

IS 

6 

0 

8 

3 

4 

7 

5 

30 

4 

10 

0 

I 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

10 

4 

2 

3 

3 

25 

I 

5 

15 

3 

II 

7 

8 

36 

6 

7 

9 

4 

7 

8 

6 

23 

8 

13 

12 

5 

4 

4 

9 

5 

2 

9 

13 

6 

10 

II 

8 

6 

8 

16 

4 

2 

8 

2 

2 

8 

4 

5 

7 

3 

3 

5 

6 

9 

6 

10 

9 

9 

13 

20 

14 

7 

17 

4 

41 

31 

37 

35 

36 

83 

40 

43 

38 

5 

21 

25 

20 

36 

12 

26 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

I 

0 

3 

0 

I 

6 

0 

0 

8 

4 

5 

7 

4 

4 

3 

7 

5 

2 

3 

3 

2 

3 

6 

4 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

0 

0 

0 

1 

0 

I 

0 

I 

I 

2 

I 

0 

0 

I 

0 

0 

0 

I 

0 

TABULAR   SUMMARY  BY   COUNTIES 


129 


TABLE  ¥— Continued 


Brown 

a«/fer           Carro// 

Champaign 

Clark 

Clermont 

Clinton 

Columbiana 

8 

6 

6 

10 

7 

24 

TO 

8 

4 

2 

2 

4 

3 

4 

3 

5 

4 

2 

2 

5 

3 

5 

3 

6 

S 

7 

4 

4 

8.5 

8 

6.5 

8 

4 

5 

3 

4 

6 

6 

5-5 

5 

6 

7 

7 

6 

10 

7 

8 

7 

5 

I 

3-5 

3 

2 

7 

3 

2 

5 

I 

3 

3 

2 

7 

3 

2 

10 

5 

II 

9 

7 

17 

II 

9 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

I 

3 

I 

0 

2 

3 

0 

5 

Coshocton 

Crawford 

Cuyahoga 

Darke 

Defiance 

Delaware 

Erie 

Fairfield 

19,324 

12,749 

19,928 

30,702 

15,618 

17,110 

14,804 

17,193 

20,998 

14,225 

17,466 

31,293 

17,081 

17,461 

14,923 

16,756 

-8 

-IO-5 

+  14 

-1.8 

-8.5 

—  2 

—  I 

+  2 

21 

13 

14 

18 

10 

17 

9 

9 

920 

981 

1,423 

1,706 

1,562 

1,006 

1,645 

1,821 

81 

SI 

46 

96 

62 

59 

41 

74 

4 

4 

3 

5 

6 

3 

5 

8 

239 

250 

433 

320 

252 

290 

361 

222 

17 

18 

23 

36 

16 

14 

25 

22 

64 

33 

23 

60 

46 

45 

i6 

52 

5 

13 

15 

22 

II 

6 

15 

4 

22 

12 

23 

26 

9 

24 

20 

18 

9 

13 

2 

14 

14 

14 

2 

16 

27 

6 

0 

17 

9 

7 

0 

29 

10 

5 

0 

5 

13 

0 

0 

6 

7 

5 

II 

5 

8 

4 

I 

I 

I 

I 

I 

0 

0 

0 

6 

4 

3 

13 

9 

S 

7 

10 

12 

12 

18 

17 

10 

7 

14 

II 

3 

18 

6 

9 

I 

12 

10 

7 

13 

S 

12 

3 

9 

II 

8 

5 

16 

5 

9 

9 

16 

3 

2 

2 

7 

0 

2 

I 

6 

IjO  SIX  THOUSAND   COUNTRY   CHURCHES 

TABLE  F — Continued 
Coshocton        Crawford       Cuyahoga  Darke  Ddianre  Diaware  Erie     Fairfield 

454  lo  5334 

26  9  9  II  n  5  12  6 

47  21  30  51  23  30  2,2,  37 

34  30  16  45  39  29  8  37 

00000000 
65012402 

64455337 
83383530 


I  3 


0  o 

1  o 


20.5  8  5  14  2  9  6  5 

7  4  3  6  I  I  2  2 

94481122 

5-5  3  6  8.5  4  7  o  7 

22540606 

33  75090  II 

213452263 
2  I  3  4-5  2  2  63 

5  4  6  10  8  3  21  8 

00000000 
02040041 

Fayette  Franklin  Fulton  Gallia  Geauga  Greene  Guernsey  Hamilton 

12,342  25,246  IQ031  IQ,54('  14,670  17,724  21,701  13.4S7 

13,357  24,023  18,777  20,973  14,744  19,284  21,369  13,644 

-8  +5               +4               -7               -I  -8  +2  —I 

9  14  II  14  16  II  17  6 

1,371  1,803  1,776  1,396  917  1,611  1,277  2,248 

48  73  56  99  40  64  81  40 

55573657 

257      346      349      197      367      277      268      337 

10       26       24       14       19       28       26       18 
38       47       32       85       21       36       55       22 


TAJiULAK    SUMMARY    BY    CCJUNTIES  13  [ 

TABLE  F— Continued 

Fayette        Frank'.in  Fullon  Gallia  Geauga 

3  U  13  3  11 

8  12  IS  7  9 
7                24                 9                14                10 

10  18  10  13  o 

19  o  2  48  o 

1  5  4  14  10 
01300 

7  I  II  84 

13  8  7  29  12 

9  8  8  17  6 

6  10  6  12  2 
5  18  6  5  7 
22423 
29                 4                 3                  I 

4  17  10  23  5 

23  44  26  29  26 

25  29  30  70  14 

00000 

2  o  17  I 

3  4  3  6.4 
36314 

I  I  2  o  3  o  3 
02001  10 
0020301 

7  6  I  13  5  5  7 
2204231 
2204331 

4  8       4       5        4      4.5 

253443 
274556 

254034 
254034 
4       14       17       o       8       16 


'eene 

Guernsey  Hamilton 

17 

S 

12 

19 

-^^ 

7 

16 

16 

6 

5 

21 

6 

3 

5 

3 

4 

8 

6 

0 

I 

0 

4 

7 

I 

9 

14 

5 

12 

16 

7 

8 

15 

I 

16 

12 

3 

3 

9 

4 

7 

6 

6 

5 

2 

13 

39 

41 

24 

25 

40 

16 

0 

0 

0 

2 

5 

I 

4 

6 

I 

4 

2 

2 

6 

I 

II 

I 

6 

4-5 

6 

4-5 

13 

II 

132  SIX  THOUSAND   COUNTRY  CHURCHES 

TABLE  F— Continued 


Hancock 

Uardin 

Harrison 

Henry 

Highland 

Hocking 

Holmes 

Huron 

17,782 

20,863 

19,076 

19,988 

17,382 

ib,934 

17,909 

15,532 

18,988 

21,847 

20,486 

22,368 

19,504 

19,183 

19,511 

14,144 

-7 

-4 

-6 

—  II 

—  II 

— 12 

-8 

+  10 

14 

13 

IS 

12 

15 

10 

14 

15 

1,270 

i)6oS 

1,272 

1,666 

1,159 

1,693 

1,279 

1,035 

78 

66 

73 

63 

69 

72 

62 

49 

6 

5 

5 

5 

5 

7 

4 

3 

228 

316 

261 

317 

252 

235 

289 

317 

23 

20 

30 

26 

19 

10 

29 

21 

55 

46 

43 

37 

50 

62 

33 

28 

9 

9 

8 

10 

7 

2 

10 

12 

22 

14 

26 

18 

II 

6 

35 

23 

16 

17 

17 

23 

12 

12 

8 

7 

26 

8 

20 

6 

15 

7 

I 

3 

0 

8 

0 

I 

9 

33 

0 

0 

5 

8 

2 

4 

12 

10 

8 

4 

0 

2 

0 

I 

3 

2 

0 

0 

8 

I 

S 

8 

4 

5 

10 

7 

15 

7 

8 

II 

15 

II 

8 

8 

15 

10 

*i4 

10 

10 

7 

5 

7 

12 

10 

12 

8 

5 

3 

7 

9 

17 

5 

16 

7 

7 

2 

II 

7 

5 

5 

7 

2 

7 

3 

II 

4 

4 

6 

9 

8 

4 

I 

9 

2 

2 

22 

2 

9 

17 

40 

I 

5 

..             30 

30 

49 

39 

36 

22 

29 

35 

48 

36 

24 

24 

ii 

50 

33 

14 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

5 

I 

3 

I 

2 

7 

2 

2 

7 

4 

6 

S 

8 

I 

7 

4 

I 

7 

4 

3 

5 

I 

2 

4 

0 

I 

I 

I 

0 

0 

2 

2 

0 

0 

I 

I 

0 

I 

0 

2 

I 

0 

0 

I 

0 

0 

I 

I 

TABULAR   SUMMARY    HY   COUNTIES 


133 


TABLE  F —  Continued 


Hancock        Hardin          nnrrixon 

Henry 

Highland 

Hocking 

Hnlmry 

Huron 

;)•• 

5 

3 

7 

6 

n 

I 

5-5 

6 

5)  .. 

0 

I 

3 

0 

3 

0 

3-5 

I 

7) .. 

0 

I 

4 

0 

3 

0 

4 

I 

i) .. 

7 

4 

6 

4 

6 

6 

7-5 

2 

)) .. 

7 

3 

4 

2 

6 

2 

7 

I 

>) .. 

13 

4 

8 

3 

8 

3 

10 

I 

).. 

2 

5 

6 

5 

2 

3 

I 

s 

0.. 

2 

S 

6 

5 

2 

I 

I 

s 

0.. 

7 

13 

17 

17 

5 

3 

5 

17 

0.. 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

I 

0 

0 

;).. 

0 

2 

I 

4 

3 

0 

0 

I 

Jackson 

Jefferson 

Knox 

Lake 

Lawrence 

Lick 

i»? 

Logan 

Lorain 

ittcas 

.. . . 

10 

,996 

29,262 

18,989 

13 

1326 

23 

202 

28, 

w3 

20,331 

22,167 

14,230 

.... 

12 

,009 

18,959 

19,957 

12 

,398 

24 

644 

27' 

^15 

22,418 

21,328 

I3,49<J 

. . . . 

-8 

+55 

-5 

+  7 

-6 

+3 

—  10 

+4 

+5 

.... 

9 

II 

21 

7 

13 

25 

15 

16 

10 

. . . . 

I 

,222 

2,660 

904 

I 

,904 

I 

785 

I, 

43 

1,355 

1.38s 

1.423 

.. . . 

57 

77 

80 

32 

87 

13 

71 

56 

41 

6 

7 

4 

5 

7 

5 

5 

4 

4 

193 

380 

237 

416 

267 

253 

286 

396 

347 

.... 

9 

33 

25 

15 

16 

34 

32 

31    - 

16 

))... 

48 

44 

55 

17 

71 

79 

39 

25 

25 

[)... 

I 

II 

10 

9 

5 

17 

19 

22 

6 

2)... 

7 

26 

26 

10 

12 

22 

24 

21 

12 

5)... 

6 

II 

18 

9 

12 

24 

II 

6 

16 

I)... 

10 

19 

17 

3 

19 

10 

10 

0 

2 

;)... 

12 

3 

0 

0 

30 

14 

0 

0 

0 

d)... 

21 

7 

9 

I 

9 

26 

5 

7 

2 

7)... 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

3 

i)... 

5 

4 

6 

5 

15 

14 

3 

4 

II 

3)... 

10 

IS 

6 

10 

28 

26 

17 

9 

8 

D)... 

3 

12 

26 

2 

15 

14 

3 

10 

6 

0... 

0 

4 

12 

2 

13 

18 

7 

4 

I 

2)... 

2 

6 

II 

6 

7 

9 

8 

8 

3 

3)... 

1 

8 

8 

I 

3 

5 

6 

2 

2 

134 


SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 


(24) 
(25) 

(26) 
(27) 

(28) 
(29) 
(30) 
(31) 
(32) 
(33) 
(34) 

(35) 
(36) 
(37) 
(38) 
(39) 
(40) 

(41) 
(42) 
(43) 

(44) 
(45) 


(4). 
(5). 
(6). 
(7). 
(8). 


Jackson      Jefferson 

o  8 

36  20 


14 
43 

o 
6 

I 
I 


53 
24 

o 
3 


23 


Madison  Mahoning 

(l) 15,363  10,007 

(2) iS<9ii  i'^),86o 

(3) -3  +13 


(10). 


13 

1,182 

46 

4 

334 

14 
32 


.,584 

66 

6 


33 
2,3 


TABLE  ¥— Continued 

Knox  Lake  Lawrence     Licking 

442 
724 


32 


14 
983 

56 

4 

246 

15 

41 


19 

25 

13 

62 

0 

0 

0 

2 

2-5 

o 


Marion  Medina 

13,758  15,158 

15,456  15,107 

—  II  +3 


14 

1,083 

52 

4 

292 

28 

24 


Meigs 
16,162 
18,961 
-15 

II 

1,469 

91 

8 
178 

16 

75 


eking 

Logan 

Lorain 

Lucas 

13 

9 

4 

2 

14 

18 

15 

8 

63 

46 

37 

23 

SO 

25 

19 

18 

0 

0 

0 

0 

8 

2 

I 

0 

9 

6 

4 

4 

6 

5 

3 

I 

2 

I 

4 

4 

0 

I 

3 

I 

0 

0 

I 

0 

II 

6.5 

6 

S 

4 

0 

3 

4 

4 

0 

4 

4 

•5 

5 

3 

I 

6 

4 

3 

I 

10 

7 

5 

I 

6 

7 

4 

4 

6 

7 

4 

4 

13 

21 

13 

9 

Mercer 
22,852 
23,739 

-4 

13 

1,758 

82 

6 
279 

39 

43 


Miami  Monroe  Montgomery 

20,654  19,940    18,642 

20,143  23,373    18,116 

+3  -15     +3 


2,743 

69 

8 

318 

33 
36 


17 

1,173 

93 

5 

214 

22 

71 


2,330 
62 


301 


23 
39 


TABULAR   SUMMARY   BY   COUNTIES 


135 


TABLE  F~^onlinued 


Madison 

Mahoning 

Marion 

Medina 

Meigs 

Mercer 

Miami 

Monroe   Montgomery 

....          5 

21 

4 

20 

2 

26 

27 

6 

12 

12 

25 

n 

IQ 

10 

21 

23 

15 

26 

10 

II 

21 

9 

TO 

13 

7 

12 

9 

13 

4 

II 

0 

19 

14 

5 

25 

7 

0 

0 

0 

0 

31 

3 

0 

II 

0 

S 

5 

6 

4 

19 

2 

7 

24 

8 

I 

0 

I 

0 

0 

3 

0 

0 

0 

10 

-3 

5 

6 

21 

6 

5 

18 

2 

5 

10 

10 

13 

35 

12 

5 

23 

9 

2 

II 

9 

7 

II 

8 

6 

24 

5 

10 

13 

7 

6 

6 

10 

10 

8 

9 

5 

II 

7 

7 

5 

12 

12 

9 

10 

0 

5 

2 

5 

I 

5 

3 

4 

6 

7 

5 

3 

4 

0 

17 

10 

2 

6 

7 

8 

13 

4 

12     • 

12 

18 

5 

15 

30 

42 

23 

27 

50 

35 

47 

40 

37 

16 

24 

33 

25 

40 

47 

23 

53 

25 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

I 

3 

2 

2 

8 

I 

I 

7 

I 

2 

2 

8 

7 

2 

9 

4 

6 

3 

6 

3 

3 

2 

I 

I 

2 

4 

0 

I 

2 

0 

2 

0 

I 

I 

0 

3 

0 

I 

I 

I 

0 

I 

0 

0 

I 

2 

I 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

6 

8 

2 

6 

20 

9 

7 

13 

4 

I 

4 

0 

5 

4 

3 

2 

6 

I 

I 

5 

0 

6 

4 

7 

2 

8 

I 

3 

6 

4 

5 

6 

2-5 

6 

3 

8 

3 

5 

3 

4 

4      • 

2-5 

5 

I 

7 

4 

9 

4 

8 

6 

4 

8 

2 

II 

3 

4-5 

3 

3 

3 

6 

3-5 

4 

2 

3 

4-5 

3 

3 

2 

6 

3-5 

3 

2 

8 

14 

9 

7 

5 

16 

II 

7 

6 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

I 

I 

I 

0 

3 

I 

4 

I 

136 


SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 


Tx'VBLE  F — Continued 


Morgan 

Morrow 

Muskingum 

Noble 

Ottawa 

Paulding 

Perry 

Pickaway 

Pike 

..  .  .16,097 

16,815 

22,643 

18,601 

18,319 

22,730 

25,177 

18,951 

15,723 

....17,905 

17,879 

23,853 

19,466 

18,880 

27,528 

25,877 

19,573 

18,172 

..  .  .      —10 

-6 

-5 

-4 

-3 

-17 

-3 

-3 

-  13 

14 

16 

21 

15 

II 

12 

12 

14 

14 

..  ..    1,150 

1,051 

1,078 

1,240 

1,665 

1,894 

2,098 

1,354 

1,123 

....          83 

70 

lOI 

75 

50 

75 

88 

58 

74 

6 

4 

.S 

5 

5 

6 

7 

4 

S 

....       194 

240 

224 

248 

366 

303 

286 

327 

211 

14 

27 

33 

15 

26 

24 

28 

13 

13 

....        69 

43 

68 

60 

24 

51 

60 

45 

61 

5 

II 

9 

I 

17 

12 

13 

I 

4 

...  .         10 

25 

26 

14 

17 

19 

21 

6 

3 

...  .         II 

17 

12 

7 

4 

14 

12 

21 

3 

17 

8 

29 

21 

6 

18 

6 

24 

6 

...  .         21 

2 

10 

17 

0 

5 

23 

4 

29 

19 

7 

13 

15 

6 

5 

12 

2 

27 

...  .          0 

0 

2 

0 

0 

t 

I 

0 

2 

...  .         12 

12 

4 

8 

4 

7 

5 

6 

14 

30 

9 

6 

10 

4 

20 

20 

14 

13 

19 

13 

15 

7 

8 

4 

9 

17 

4 

6 

7 

7 

5 

5 

5 

8 

4 

I 

6 

12 

13 

11 

6 

3 

10 

8 

2 

...  .          0 

2 

6 

2 

6 

4 

5 

4 

2 

... .          2 

4 

5 

2 

2 

7 

9 

4 

I 

8 

II 

45 

30 

15 

25 

22 

I 

37 

31 

32 

50 

33 

42 

44 

46 

23 

20 

52 

38 

SI 

42 

8 

31 

42 

35 

54 

I 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

5 

3 

10 

4 

I 

0 

3 

2 

5 

7 

10 

6 

6 

4 

6 

4 

3 

6 

I 

2 

4 

4 

I 

4 

3 

2 

3 

... .          0 

I 

I 

I 

3 

2 

I 

3 

0 

... .          0 

0 

0 

0 

I 

0 

I 

2 

0 

... .          0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

TABULAR   SUMMARIES    BY   COUNTIES 


137 


TABLE  F— Continued 

Morgan      Morrow    Muskingum        Noble         Ottawa       Paulding        Perry         Pickaway     Pike 


....            12 

5 

12.5 

6 

6 

5 

7 

4 

7 

-I 

3 

6 

2 

4 

0 

2 

0 

2 

....               I 

5 

9 

2 

5 

0 

2 

0 

2 

4 

5 

5 

8 

7 

5.5 

5 

6 

3 

4 

4 

3 

5 

4 

35 

4 

5 

3 

s 

7 

3 

6 

6 

5 

7 

5 

3 

....           2 

2 

4.5 

2 

4 

4 

6 

3 

2 

2 

2 

4.5 

2 

4 

4 

6 

3 

2 

7 

9 

18 

5 

15 

17 

16 

7 

S 

...  .           0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

I 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

0 

2 

2 

0 

3 

I 

Portage 

Preble 

Putnam 

Richland 

/?05S 

Sandusky 

Scioto 

Seneca 

Shelby 

•..■18,379 

18,921 

29,972 

17,760 

22,460 

13,398 

19,380 

16,796 

16,648 

....18,827 

18,838 

32:525 

18,517 

25,758 

15,039 

20,078 

18,087 

17,788 

..  .  .         —2 

+  .5 

-8 

—4 

-13 

-  II 

-3 

-7 

-6 

19 

II 

15 

16 

14 

8 

14 

II 

13 

....     1,967 

1,680 

1,998 

1,110 

1,604 

1,675 

1,384 

1,527 

1,281 

....            48 

56 

82 

66 

89 

32 

83 

63 

50 

3 

5 

S 

4 

6 

4 

6 

6 

4 

....      383 

341 

366 

269 

252 

419 

233 

267 

333 

18 

27 

34 

20 

25 

II 

16 

27 

24 

30 

29 

48 

46 

64 

21 

67 

36 

26 

...  .         12 

17 

24 

9 

8 

7 

3 

12 

12 

19 

23 

19 

23 

12 

7 

17 

21 

14 

5 

8 

4 

13 

13 

8 

8 

13 

7 

4 

3 

20 

13 

16 

2 

14 

13 

9 

0 

I 

5 

0 

27 

3 

25 

0 

5 

8 

4 

9 

8 

II 

5 

14 

4 

3 

... .         0 

0 

I 

0 

2 

0 

2 

0 

0 

... .          2 

I 

12 

7 

12 

4 

7 

3 

4 

8 

3 

10 

13 

II 

6 

21 

13 

II 

8 

8 

8 

II 

4 

3 

4 

II 

5 

4 

9 

3 

14 

12 

5 

4 

4 

4 

12 

17 

10 

8 

2 

3 

2 

8 

6 

13^ 


SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 


TABLE  F — Continued 


I'nrlage 

Pjeble 

I'ulna 

m 

Kichlattd 

iioss 

Sandm 

ky        Scioto 

Swwea 

Shelby 

4 

5 

0 

7 

I 

I 

2 

5 

7 

4 

0 

17 

0 

3 

I 

4 

7 

3 

6 

7 

16 

6 

44 

9 

39 

12 

10 

35 

36 

53 

29 

37 

21 

36 

36 

28 

13 

20 

29 

37 

52 

11 

47 

27 

22 

....          o 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

....           o 

0 

0 

3 

3 

I 

4 

I 

I 

3 

5 

7 

8 

6 

I 

6 

6 

5 

8 

2 

2 

2 

4 

2 

3 

3 

2 

4 

2 

0 

0 

I 

I 

I 

I 

4 

....                2 

0 

2 

0 

0 

I 

0 

0 

0 

....               2 

2 

3 

2 

0 

2 

0 

0 

I 

....            II 

6 

5 

7 

II 

4 

12 

8 

7 

7 

I 

I 

3 

4 

2 

2 

3 

3 

9 

I 

I 

3 

5 

2 

2 

3 

4 

7 

5 

9 

I 

6 

3 

7 

6 

7 

6 

4 

8 

I 

5 

3 

5 

4 

6 

7 

6 

II 

2 

7 

3 

7 

6 

7 

....                2 

4 

6 

4-5 

4 

3 

I 

2-5 

2 

....               2 

4 

6 

4-5 

4 

2 

I 

2-5 

2 

3 

14 

20 

12 

8 

6 

2 

II 

5 

....           o 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

I 

2 

0 

2 

4 

0 

2 

2 

.S/flr/: 

Summit 

Trumbull 

Tuscarawas 

Union 

Fan  Wert 

Vinton 

Warren 

.  .  .         30,084 

11,686 

23,449 

22 

,387 

17 

183 

14,982 

13,096 

15,188 

...       31 /HI 

11,431 

22,030 

22 

,997 

18 

076 

16,682 

15,330 

15,861 

—  2 

+  2 

+6 

-3 

-5 

—  10 

-15 

-4 

13 

10 

21 

18 

13 

9 

12 

9 

•  .  •         2  383 

1,169 

I, 

[I7 

I 

244 

I 

322 

1,665 

1,091 

1,688 

112 

42 

74 

83 

63 

63 

72 

56 

9 

4 

4 

5 

5 

7 

6 

6 

277 

378 

317 

270 

273 

239 

182 

271 

TABULAR   SUMMARY   BY   COUNTIES  I39 

TABLE  V— Continued 


^lark 

Summil 

Trumbull 

Tuscarawas 

Union 

Van  Wert 

V»n/o« 

PTarrcw 

43 

17 

26 

25 

17 

16 

16 

18 

69 

-5 

48 

58 

46 

47 

S6 

38 

18 

7 

18 

8 

7 

3 

9 

8 

SI 

17 

35 

20 

17 

17 

9 

19 

22 

10 

12 

24 

12 

18 

7 

12 

12 

5 

0 

20 

15 

18 

16 

5 

0 

0 

0 

4 

I 

2 

25 

.      7 

9 

3 

9 

7 

9 

4 

6 

5 

0 

0 

0 

0 

2 

I 

0 

0 

10 

II 

13 

5 

7 

5 

21 

6 

16 

8 

5 

15 

16 

4 

27 

15 

II 

9 

21 

16 

10 

10 

9 

9 

17 

6 

6 

6 

4 

8 

4 

II 

25 

2 

8 

6 

8 

7 

8 

3 

13 

I 

6 

8 

5 

3 

I 

5 

8 

I 

9 

8 

3 

5 

I 

I 

12 

4 

6 

19 

10 

21 

I 

6 

74 

30 

47 

48 

37 

22 

29 

35 

38 

12 

27 

35 

26 

41 

43 

21 

0 

0 

0 

I 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

I 

2 

4 

2 

2 

9 

I 

7 

5 

8 

4 

8 

5 

I 

4 

5 

I 

6 

4 

I 

2 

2 

3 

I 

3 

4 

4 

I 

0 

0 

0 

7                 5  13                  7  10  6  10  8 

24417240 

3                  6  41  7  2  4  o 

15                  5  6                II  4  3.5  3  s 

12  2  2                 6  2  3.5  2  5 

13  3  3                10  2  5  4  7 

7                  2  s                  4  2.5  3  2  4 

7.2  s       '           4  I  3  2  4 

21                  5  12                 8  5  6  6  9 


140 


SIX   THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 


Stark  Summil 

(44)  ■  •                o  o 

(45)  • ■ 

Washington 

(l) 29,409 

(2) 32,481 

(3) ; -9 

(4) 21 

(5) i'40o 

(6) 130 

(7) 6 

(8) 226 

(9) 27 

(10) 103 

(11) 6 

(12) 19 

(13) 34 

(m) 21 

(15) 22 

(16) 28 

(17) o 

(18) 26 

(19) 36 

(20) 17 

(21) 18 

(22) 6 

(23) 3 

(24) 3 

(25) 21 

(26) 48 

(27) 82 

(28) o 

(29) 6 

(30) 12 

(31) I 


J'ABLE  Y— Continued 

TrumhuU 


U      Tusctirawfis 

Union 

Van  wcrl 

Vinton 

Warren 

1 

0 

0 

0 

0 

I 

I 

2 

0 

0 

Wayne 

Williams 

Wood 

Wyandot 

24,079 

I<).384 

32,951 

15,811 

23,89s 

17,440 

37,378 

16,508 

+  .7 

-6 

—  12 

-4 

13 

10 

16 

12 

1,852 

1,638 

2,059 

1,318 

84 

66 

105 

50 

6 

7 

7 

4 

299 

248 

314 

316 

42 
42 


44 


45 
60 


28 


25 

7 

23 

S 

33 

18 

22 

13 

12 

19 

29 

23 

8 

IS 

6 

9 

0 

4 

II 

0 

6 

3 

8 

0 

0 

0 

6 

0 

2 

8 

10 

4 

IS 

16 

20 

8 

19 

9 

II 

7 

7 

4 

8 

3 

19 

4 

14 

n 

10 

S 

12 

5 

II 

4 

6 

8 

I 

16 

24 

4 

SO 

33 

78 

25 

34 

33 

27 

25 

0 

0 

0 

0 

I 

2 

I 

I 

S 

6      • 

5 

6 

5 

2 

6 

0 

(32). 
(33)- 
(34). 

(35) 

(36), 

(37). 

(38) 

(39) 

(4o) 

(41). 
(42). 
(43). 

(44). 
(45). 


TABULAR   SUMMARIES    BY   COUNTIES 
TABLE  F — Conliuned 

Wdihinalon  Wayne  Willioms 


O 
O 

14 
4 
4 

lo 
8 

lO 

3 
3 
7 

o 

2 


O 

o 

9 

4 
6 

SS 

5-5 
9 

6 

6 

i8 

o 

I 


S 

S 

17 

o 
o 


Wood 


2 

14 
II 
14 


9 
9 

25 


141 


Wyandot 

3 
2 
O 

S 
2 
2 
4 

4 
7 

3 

3 

10 


PART  III 

THE  COUNTY   MAPS 


EXPLANATORY  NOTE 

On  the  maps  the  location  of  each  rural  church  is  indicated  by  a  square 
and  the  residence  of  each  minister  by  a  cross.  Lines  connect  each  church 
with  the  residence  of  its  pastor.  Therefore  the  maps  show  for  each 
church  whether  it  receives  the  whole  or  a  part  of  a  minister's  service,  and 
for  each  minister  how  many  churches  he  serves  and  the  distances  he  must 
go  to  reach  them  and  the  various  parts  of  his  parish. 

The  capital  letters  adjacent  to  each  square  indicate  the  denomination 
of  the  church.  The  figures  in  parentheses  and  next  to  tne  square  indicate 
the  enrolled  membership.  The  figures  not  so  enclosed  indicate  the  res- 
ident membership.  The  abbreviations,  Inc.,  Sta.,  and  Dec.  indicate 
whether  the  membership  is  increasing,  stationary,  or  declining.  Increase 
or  decline  in  membership,  however,  is  only  indicated  where  it  was  possi- 
ble to  find  the  membership  of  ten  or  five  years  ago.  When  the  figures 
for  ten  years  ago  are  available,  these  are  taken  as  a  basis  for  comparison 
with  the  membership  at  the  present  time.  Often  the  records  of  the 
churches  are  so  kept  as  to  make  it  impossible  or  very  difficult  to  find  the 
membership  of  either  five  or  ten  years  ago. 

Shaded  squares  indicate  closed  churches.  These  have  no  minister  and 
hold  no  regular  services. 

Abandoned  churches  are  indicated  by  black  squares.  It  is  believed 
that  large  numbers  of  them  were  not  reported. 

Churches  marked  "Not  Organized"  do  not  appear  in  the  tabulations. 

In  the  northwest  corner  of  each  township  is  given  its  name,  while 
underneath  are  figures  indicating  its  population.  The  large  circles  in  the 
township  indicate  cities  or  towns  of  more  than  2,500  inhabitants.  Figures 
in  parentheses  indicate  the  number  of  their  population,  which  number  is 
included  in  the  figures  for  the  township.    But  in  each  case  where  they  are 

145 


146 


SIX  THOUSAND  COUNTRY  CHURCHES 


not  in  parentheses  the  town  or  city  is  itself  a  township.    Figures  in  an 
oval  indicate  the  number  of  persons  living  in  the  adjacent  village  or  small 
town. 
A  key  to  the  maps  is  here  given. 


KEY 


X  Minister's  Residence 

□  Church  without  resident  minister 

I  Church  abandoned 


B   Church  with  resident  minister 

S  Church  closed 

O  Sunday  School  or  Mission 


Resident  membership  is  indicated  by  numerals,  enrolled  membership  by  numerals  in 
parentheses.  Inc.  denotes  increasing  membership;  Dec,  decreasing,  and  Sta.,  stationary 
membership. 

O  Numerals  in  an  oval  indicate  the  population  of  a  village. 


AC 

Advent  Christian 

GEv 

German  Evangelical 

AME 

African  Methodist  Episcopal 

GME 

German  Methodist  Episcopal 

Br 

Brethren  (German  Baptist) 

H 

Holiness 

Br  (00)  Old  Order  Brethren 

IBA 

International  Bible  Students  Asso- 

Br (Prog.)  Progressive  Brethren  - 

ciation 

B 

Baptist 

L 

Lutheran 

B  (Miss.)  Missionary  Baptist 

LDS 

Latter-Day  Saints 

B  (Col.)  Colored  Baptist 

M 

Mennonite 

B  (United)  United  Baptist 

Mor 

Moravian 

BSA 

Brothers'  Society  of  America 

ME 

Methodist  Episcopal 

C 

Christian 

MP 

Methodist  Protestant 

Ca 

Catholic 

Naz 

Nazarene 

CM 

Calvin  Methodist 

P 

Presbyterian 

CMA 

Christian  Missionary  Alliance 

PB 

Primitive  Baptist 

CNJ 

Church  of  New  Jerusalem 

R 

Reformed 

CS 

Christian  Science 

RUB 

Radical  United  Brethren 

CU 

Christian  Union 

S 

Saints 

D 

Disciples 

SDA 

Seventh  Day  Advent 

DNP 

Disciples,  Non-Progressive 

SDB 

Seventh  Day  Baptist 

E 

Protestant  Episcopal 

U 

Union 

EvA 

Evangelical  Association 

UB 

United  Brethren 

F 

Friends 

UP 

United  Presbyterian 

FM 

Free  Methodist 

UEv 

United  Evangelical 

FWB 

Free  Will  Baptist 

Uv 

Universalist 

G 

Church  of  God 

uss 

Union  Sunday  School 

WM 

VVesleyan  Methodist 

Adams  Coumty,  Ohio 


5cale   in   Miles 


147 


ASHLAMD    CoUMTY,  OHIO 


Scdie    m  Miles 


149 


Ashtabula  CouniY,  Ohio 

Scale    in    Miles 


150 


I05B 


PL£ASANT 
2753 


L 


UA/JON 
•36  76 


(lOOJt 


WW) 


^B^^ 


SH 


0>a 


BRown  CouMTY,  Ohio 

Scale  in  Miles 


^isBOy^/UNTnG  Ton 


IS4 


Careoll  Co  UN 


Scale  in  Miles 


iS6 


Clermomt  Couhty,  Ohio 


Scale    in    Miles 


CuWTOri   COUMTY,  Ouio 

Scale    in    Miles 


1 60 


Ckawfoed  Cocuhty,  Ohio 

Scale  in  Wiles       — Q 


163 


Darke  Coumty,  Ohio 


Scale  in  Miles 


PAJTERSOri 


HARRISOn  @Ib,! 


^^S 


o 

1— 1 

E 

O 

>^^ 

■<) 

i-* 

10 

O 

c    - 

o 

w 

Ul 

o 

r 

< 

Uh 

u 

Q 

q:S' 


'•^^ 


Fairfield  Coumty,  Ohio 

Scale  in  Miles 


169 


Fayette  County,  Ohio 


5ca)p    ii   Mile 


170 


Frahklim  CouriTY,  Ohio 

Scale   in   Miles 


171 


Gallia  County,  Ohio 


173 


Geauga  CouriTy,  Ohio 


174 


176 


Hahcock  CounxY.OHLO 

Scale  in   Miles 


Hardin  County,  Ohio 


1 70 


iSi 


■Ksop.  CouMTY,  Ohio 

Scale   in   Miles 


isr. 


jEFFEKSon  County,  Ohio 


187 


u/Mwr/ero/y 

fiLJ 

Sta. 


Lawrence  County,  Ohio 


Scale  In  Miles 


1()0 


COLUMBIA 
/064- 


Inc. 


Stc 


WELUIiGTOh, 

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193 


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Scale  in  Miles 

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703 


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4539 


195 


Mercer  CounTY,  Ohio 


Scale  in  Miles 


Miami  County,  Ohio 

Scale  in  Miles 


ETMoriROE  County,  Ohio 


MOMTGOMEKY  CoUNTY,    OhIO 


Scale   in    Miles 


203 


>04 


Morrow  Couhty;  Ohio 

Scale   in    Miles 


T/^or 

548    r-i?'^ 


MusKiMGUM    County,  Ohio 


Scale    in. Miles 


206 


HoBLE  CounTY,/OHro 

Scale  m  Miles 


207 


Perry  County,  Ohio 


Scale  in  Miles 


Portage   County,  Ohio 


5cal« 


Mile 


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Scale  in  Miles 


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Scale  in  Mile 


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225 


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0 1 


226 


Van  Wekt  'Coumty,  Ohio 


Scale  in  Miles 


ViMTdri  CounTY,  Ohio 

Scale  in  Miles 


228 


Warren  Coumtx    Ohio 


Scale     i'i    t^^iles 


229 


W\YME  County,  Ohio 

Scale  in  Miles 


231 


Wood  Couhty,  Ohio 

.  Miles 


233 


\>/yandot  CouniY,  Ohio 


Scale    in    Miles 


234 


APPENDIX 

ACTION   OF   THE   COMMITTEE   ON   INTERCHURCH   CO- 
OPERATION OF  THE  OHIO  RURAL  LIFE  ASSOCIATION 

.  On  June  14  and  15,  1916,  a  meeting  was  held  of  the  Committee  on 
Interchurch  Cooperation  of  the  Ohio  Rural  Life  Association  at  Colum- 
bus. This  Committee  is  composed  largely  of  superintendents  and  repre- 
sentatives of  several  of  the  leading  denominations  of  the  State.  They 
met  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  thorough  study  of  country  church  condi- 
tions and  were  determined,  if  possible,  to  devise  a  remedy.  The  following 
were  among  those  present:  Bishop  Wm.  F.  Anderson  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church;  the  Rt.  Rev.  Theodore  Irving  Reese  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church;  Superintendents,  I.  J.  Cahill,  W.  J.  Grimes,  A.  W. 
Jamieson,  Robert  E.  Pugh,  E.  S.  Rothrock  and  Omer  S.  Thomas  of  the 
Disciples  of  Christ,  the  United  Presbyterian,  the  Presbyterian,  the  Con- 
gregational and  Christian  churches;  Dr.  Washington  Gladden,  oJS&cially 
representing  the  Congregational  churches;  Rev.  C.  W.  Brugh,  represent- 
in  the  Reformed  Church,  and  Rev.  E.  L.  Averitt,  representing  Rev. 
Tileston  F.  Chambers,  Superintendent  of  the  Baptist  churches.  Superin- 
tendent Rev.  C.  W.  Kurtz  of  the  United  Brethren,  and  Superintendent 
C.  S.  Beck  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church  have  also  endorsed  the 
action  of  the  meeting. 

After  a  thorough  discussion  of  rural  church  conditions,  the  following 
measures  were  agreed  upon  as  remedies : 

Interchurch  cooperation  in  every  locaHty  to  create  conditions  favora- 
ble to  the  development  of  Christian  character,  to  build  a  strong,  whole- 
some, attractive  community,  to  hold  community  reHgious  services  and 
social  gatherings  and  to  render  all  forms  of  social  service  needed  in  the 
community  but  not  rendered  by  other  institutions. 

Where  there  is  now  no  resident  pastor  in  a  township  the  combining  of 

23s 


236  APPENDIX 

all  churches  so  far  as  possible  either  in  one  church  or  in  one  circuit  or 
federated  church  under  one  pastor  who  should  be  held  responsible  for 
rendering  social  and  religious  service  in  the  township. 

To  bring  this  to  pass  all  ministers  now  visiting  and  preaching  in  a  com- 
munity should  by  their  preaching  exalt  christian  unity  and  the  Kingdom 
of  God,  and  in  preaching  and  personal  work  try  to  prepare  the  people 
for  acceptance  of  a  policy  of  community  service. 

To  secure  cooperation  of  ministers: 

Preparation  and  sending  of  bulletins  to  every  pastor,  containing 
program  and  making  clear  reasons  for  adopting  it. 

Preparation  and  sending  of  letters  from  this  Committee  to  every  rural 
pastor,  urging  acceptance  of  higher  ideals  of  service  as  here  set  forth. 

Preparation  and  sending  to  country  pastors  of  frequent  bulletins  con- 
taining information  and  description  of  notable  examples  of  good  country 
church  work. 

Appointment  of  sub-committees  to  secure  action  by  denominational 
bodies  approving  program  of  Committee. 

The  following  statements  of  policy  and  methods  were  also  adopted : 

In  a  township  or  community  requiring  more  than  one  church  or  pastor 
there  should  be  a  "federation  of  churches,"  that  is,  a  joint  committee  of 
pastors  and  delegates  officially  appointed  by  the  several  churches  to  learn 
and  meet  all  needs,  religious  or  social,  which  require  cooperation  or  con- 
certed action. 

In  communities  whose  compactness  permits  and  whose  population  and 
resources  require  there  should  be  only  one  congregation  and  pastor,  but 
where  two  or  more  churches  exist,  churches  should  be  united  organically 
in  a  single  denominational  church,  the  denomination  to  be  determined  on 
the  give  and  take  plan.  If  organic  union  in  a  denominational  church  is 
not  feasible,  a  federated  church  should  be  formed. 

In  a  township  or  conununity  where  population  and  resources  are  in- 
adequate to  support  more  than  one  pastor,  but  where  the  population 
is  so  distributed  that  more  than  one  place  ot  worship  and  organized  church 


APPENDIX  237 

are  necessary,  a  federated  circuit  should  be  formed  and  a  common  pastor 
employed.  The  several  churches  should  be  officially  represented  on  a 
joint  committee  who  shall  act  for  the  circuit  not  only  in  employing  the 
common  pastor,  but  also  in  learning  and  meeting  all  needs,  religious  and 
social,  which  require  cooperation  and  concerted  action. 

In  the  forming  or  re-forming  of  circuits  it  should  be  brought  to  pass 
that  the  various  fields  served  by  one  pastor  should  be  as  close  together  as 
possible.  To  make  the  minister's  field  as  compact  as  possible,  interde- 
nominational circuits  should  be  formed. 

The  rural  ministry  should,  ii  possible,  be  so  distributed  that  in  each 
township  there  shall  be  a  resident  pastor. 

Measures  to  prevent  the  recurrence  of  over-churched  conditions  should 
be  taken  by  every  branch  of  the  church.  Each  should  determine  not  to 
organize  churches  where  they  are  not  needed  or  certain  to  be  needed.  In  a 
new  community  needing  but  one  church,  an  expression  of  the  people 
should  be  obtained  as  to  the  choice  of  the  church  to  be  established.  The 
desires  of  the  largest  number  should  be  followed. 

Where  several  little  churches  exist  in  a  sparsely  settled  community  and 
a  union  or  federation  is  not  possible  or  advisable,  consideration  should  be 
given  to  the  plan  of  having  all  these  withdraw,  and  inviting  a  branch  of  the 
church  not  represented  locally  to  come  in  and  organize  a  single  church. 

In  the  exchange  or  withdrawal  of  churches  reciprocity  should  be  at 
least  State-wide  in  its  extent. 

Where  a  denomination  is  given  control  or  dominance  in  a  community 
by  withdrawal  of  other  denominations,  the  continuance  of  that  control  or 
dominance  should  be  conditional  on  the  church  and  minister  maintaining 
in  their  service  a  high  degree  of  efficiency — the  standard  of  efficiency  to 
be  determined  by  the  denominational  leaders  who  should  formulate  a 
few  simple  principles  by  which  the  usefulness  of  a  church  can  be  measured. 
The  denomination  holding  a  field  should,  for  a  reasonable  length  of  time, 
report  to  those  withdrawing  as  to  progress. 

Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


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RELIGIOUS  HAND  BOOKS 

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THE  NEW  OPPORTUNITY  OF  THE  CHURCH 

By  ROBERT  E.  SPEER 

This  vokime  \ery  suitably   follows  Dr.   Spetr's  The  Chris- 
tian Man,  the  Church,  ami  the  War,  dealing  as  it  does  with 
the  present  responsibility  of  the  Church. 
THE  CHURCH  FACING  THE  FUTURE 

By  WILLIAM  ADAxMS  BROWN 

Dr.  Brown  discusses  four  big  questions:     First.  Where  the 
War  Found  the  Church;   second,  What  the  Church  did   for 
the   War;    third.    What   the   War   did    for   the   Church;    and 
fourth.  Where  the  War  Leaves  the  Church. 
DEMOCRATIC  CHRISTIANITY;  SOME  PROBLEMS 

OF  THE  CHURCH  IN  THE  DAYS  JUST  AHEAD 

By  FRANCIS  J.  McCONNELL 

"  We  have  in  mind  the  tasks  of  to-day  as  they  confront  the 
Christian  Church,"  writes  Bishop  .McConnell. 
GOD'S  RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  THE  WAR 

By  EDWARD  S.  DROWN 

Dr.  Drown  discusses  this  very  interesting  question  in  terse 
and  vigorous  prose. 
THE  TWENTIETH  CENTURY  CRUSADE 

By  LYMAN  ABBOTT 

Written  by  one  who  has  an  exultant  faith  that  never  in  the 
history  of  the  past  has  there  been  so  splendid  a  demonstra- 
tion of  the  extent  and  power  of  the  Christ  spirit  as  to-day, 
THE  WAY  TO  LIFE    By  HENRY  CHURCHILL  KING 

A  discussion  of  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  similar  to  that 
in  Dr.  King's  former  book  The  Ethics  of  Jesus.     Besides  re- 
writing them,  he   has   added   material    on   the   war   and   the 
teachings  of  Jesus. 
THE  CHRISTIAN  MAN.  THE  CHURCH  AND  THE 

WAR  By  ROBERT  E.  SPEER 

Dr.  Speer  here  discusses  the  essentials  of  a  problem  which 
has  exercised  Christian  men  since  the  beginning  of  the  war. 
He  deals  with  it  sanely  and  in  a  manner  that  will  be  consid- 
ered distinctly  helpful. 
NEW  HORIZON  OF  STATE  AND  CHURCH 

By  W.  H.  p.  FAUNCE 

"  Broad,  profound  scholarship,  close  relationship  with  pro- 
gressive sentiment  all  over  the  land,  and  unusual  powers  of 
keen  analysis  and  graphic  statement  are  forceful  elements  in 
The  Nezv  Horizon  of  State  and  Church."— Philadelphia 
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The  Country  Church:  The  Decline 
of  its  Influence  and  the  Remedy 

By  CHARLES  OTIS  GILL 
And  GIFFORD  PINCHOT 

Cloth,  12°,  $I.2j 

Is  llic  country  church  growing  in  size  and  power,  or  declining?  Is  it 
doing  effectually  the  work  which  belongs  to  it?  These  are  in  the  main 
the  questions  which  Charles  Otis  Gill  and  Gifford  Pinchot  consider  in 
their  book  "The  Country  Church."  The  book  is  not  a  collection  of 
opinions,  as  it  was  found  that  there  were  almost  as  many  who  believed 
thoroughly  in  the  country  church  and  the  work  which  it  is  doing  as  there 
were  those  who  were  doubtful  of  its  efficac3 .  The  volume  is  rather  made 
up  of  facts  brought  forward  by  the  personal  investigations  of  the  authors, 
and  conclusions  based  on  these  facts. 

"Mr.  Gill  and  Mr.  Pinchot,  collaboring  in  this  problem  of  rural  life, 
have  given  us  a  book  which  will  at  once  become  an  authority  in  its 
field."- — Chtisliai!  ]Vo)k. 

"The  facts  and  figures  are  definite  and  ilkmiined  by  a  myriad  of  side- 
lights."— Boston  Transcript. 

"Differs  from  almost  all  the  others  because  of  the  thoroughness  of  the 
investigation  and  the  soundness  of  the  conclusions." — San  Francisco 
Chronicle. 

"Deserves  most  thoughtful  consideration.  .  .  .  Should  arouse  atten- 
tion and  stimulate  effort  to  restore  to  the  country  church  the  influence 
that  it  is  losing." — Christian  Endeavor  World. 


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Prophecy  and  Authority:  a  study  in  the 

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By  KEMPER  FULLERTON 

Professor  of  Old  Testament  Language  and  Literature,  Oberlin  Graduate 
School  of  Theology 

Clollt,  I2»!0. 

The  purpose  of  this  volume  Is  two-fold — to  discuss  the  principles  and 
the  interpretation  of  Messianic  prophecy  in  view  of  the  recent  revival  of 
Millenialist  claims,  and  to  re-open  the  question  of  the  nature  of  the  Bible 
as  a  principle  of  authority  in  Protestant  theology. 

The  author  seeks  to  trace  the  way  in  which  the  methods  of  interpreta- 
tion and  the  doctrines  of  Scripture  afJect  each  other  in  the  Church's  in- 
terpretation of  prophecy  and  to  show  how  the  scientific  principles  of  in- 
terpretation adopted  by  the  reformers  inevitably  lead  to  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  Millenialist  theory  and  dogmatic  view  of  Scripture,  and  that 
these  results  are  at  the  same  time  religiously  desirable. 

Studies  in  Mark's  Gospel 

By  a.  T.  ROBERTSON,  M.A.,  D.D.,  LL.D. 

Professor  of  New  Testament  Interpretation  at  the  Southern  Baptist 
Theological  Seminary 

Cloth,  i2mo. 

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in  the  first  glow  of  enthusiasm  under  Peter's  preaching.  It  is  readable  and 
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of  the  chief  aspects  of  this  earliest  of  our  Gospels.  The  work  is  a  real  in- 
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to  the  Romans 

By  EDWARD  INCREASE  BOSWORTH 

Cloth,  istno. 

The  author  of  this  Commentary  has  endeavored  to  help  those  who  use 
it  read  Paul's  letter  to  the  Romans  with  due  regard  to  the  pre-suppositions 
which  possessed  Paul's  mind  and  the  minds  of  those  to  whom  it  was 
addressed,  no  matter  to  what  extent  these  pre-suppositions  have  passed 
out  of  modern  thought.  He  has  tried  to  do  this  in  such  a  way  as  to  bring 
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JUDGES,  by  Professor  Edward  L.  Curtis 

JOB,  by  Professor  George  A.  Barton 

ISAIAH,  by  Professor  John  E.  McFadyen 

AMOS,  HOSEA,  AND  MICAH,  by  Professor  J.  M.  Powis  Smith. 

MATTHEW,  by  Professor  A.  T.  Robertson 

MARK,  by  Professor  M.  W.  Jacobus 

ACTS,  by  Professor  George  H.  Gilbert 

GALATIANS,  by  Professor  B.  W.  Bacon 

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